Dreaming stories are an integral part of Aboriginal culture and Indigenous Australians are the pioneers of sustainable land use. In this workshop your students will experience immersion in a natural environment and intimate native animal encounters.

In this animal encounter experience, students engage in an intimate session meeting some fascinating native Australian animals, learning about their roles in the environment and their unique features and adaptations that help them thrive in the wild.

Students can observe birds as they interact with each other and their surroundings at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo. They will have a chance to meet a wide range of native animals in the workshop, examine their features and identify how these help animals meet all of their different needs.

This 10 week unit uses a project based learning approach which enables students to explore the real world challenge of conserving endangered species. Students will be empowered to take action within their communities, which significantly contributes to the conservation of Taronga’s legacy species from Australia and Sumatra.  

Your students will discover how to create habitats for wildlife and learn how different places provide the needs of living things. They can put this into practice back at school and get busy creating homes that meet the diverse needs of their Backyard Buddy friends.

In this workshop, your students will explore Taronga’s gardens to examine a rich variety of wild invertebrates and meet some of their predators. They will learn to identify different types of invertebrates and discover if they are a pest or a friend.

This workshop is a unique, guided walking tour of the Taronga Western Plains Zoo site. Students will engage with Dreaming stories and cultural learnings while highlighting the strong connections between Aboriginal people and the natural world.

Students will learn how the features and needs of animals change and develop as they move from stage to stage. They will meet animals with unique lifecycles and investigate how they can help overcome the challenges these species face as they develop and grow.

In this workshop students will examine the climate, vegetation and native animals of Australia and Sumatra. They will learn about the importance of habitats for animals and people and discover the ways people value environments, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

In this fascinating workshop, students will develop a design brief for a new animal exhibit by undertaking research and observation of animals in Taronga’s care. They will learn about and consider animal welfare and enrichment, visitor engagement and interpretation, keeper safety and functionality.

Adaptations are the remarkable features that have evolved in animals over millions of years to help them survive in their environment, but what happens when that environment starts to change? At the Zoo students will observe a range of animal adaptations and discuss the challenges facing our wildlife today.

Students will learn about the importance of the land’s role in kinship, spirituality and everday life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This workshop draws on the location of Taronga Zoo Sydney’s culturally significant sites to explore Aboriginal history and identity while reinforcing a connection to Country.