Click Here to download our Staten Island Zoo Education Programs pdf.

THE STATEN ISLAND ZOO
offers a wealth of exciting programs for teachers and students.

Reservations for an educational program must be made at least six weeks in advance. Call the Education Department at (718) 442-3174 or 442-3101, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Important: to avoid cancellation, payment must be received at least Four weeks prior to the program.


IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Have School at the Zoo!

These interactive explorations utilize live animals, bio-facts, games and slides to teach and reinforce lessons covering NY State mandated curriculum. To enhance a particular topic you have been studying in the classroom, we are delighted to specially tailor our programs when given sufficient notice (8+ weeks). Please see the Educational Program Description


TRAVELING ZOO PROGRAMS

Have the Zoo at School!

Click Here to view a larger photo of our Staten Island Traveling Zoo Education Van.
We Bring the Zoo to You, by offering the same offering the same topics as our In-Zoo Programs, but presented at your school. For classes or groups that cannot come to the Zoo, or for those who wish to add an extra dimension to their classroom curriculum, The Traveling Zoo is an adventure in nature appreciation and self-discovery that brings your class nose-to-nose with live animals. Please see the Program Descriptions. Note: This is a classroom program that is NOT appropriate for auditorium presentations.


TEACHER ENRICHMENT WORKSHOPS
They're fun, useful, and certified for NYC Teacher Credit. We equip educators with the knowledge and activities to excite, illuminate and involve! These can be presented at your school, or attend those scheduled at the Zoo. Call for details!

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

GRADES K-2
Animal Shapes and Colors - “Why is a zebra striped?” In this program students can use their knowledge of shapes and colors to identify them in nature. They will review some familiar shapes and some animals that look like them. They will discover why an animal’s colors can be critical for their survival.

Sounding Off! - “Why do birds sing and dolphins click?” In this program students will discover a variety of unique animal sounds and learn why animals make them. They will also get to use their vocal chords to imitate animal sounds.

What’s In Your Backyard? -“What animals can you see without going to the zoo?” Find out about the diversity of New York’s animal inhabitants. Students will be surprised to learn that there are animals other than pigeons and squirrels living in their backyards.

Predator/Prey - “How can a population of lynx control a population of hares?” This program focuses on predator/prey relationships, with emphasis on adaptations of predators and prey. Students will also discover the interconnectedness of predator and prey populations.

Cool Classes - (Choice of one: Bird, Mammal, Amphibian, Reptile or Fish) Each program will explore one class of vertebrates. You can choose to learn about birds, the only animals with feathers and a modern day link to dinosaurs; mammals, a class of fur covered animals, including humans; amphibians, animals who spend part of their life in water and part of it on land; reptiles, a diverse class of cold-blooded animals covered in scales; or fish, the wet, scaly, gill breathing animals who live in a world still

African Safari - take an imaginary trip to Africa! Learn why so many amazing animals live in the Savannah and meet a few face to face. Teacher Activity Packet available in PDF. format for downloading

Forest Fantasia - What is a tropical rain forest, and why is it home to so many special plants and animals? Meet the awesome, the enchanting and the endangered! Teacher Activity Packet available in PDF. format for downloading

It's Alive! - Discover the characteristics of and differences between living and non-living things and the relationship between plants and animals.

Let's Be Sensible - Explore the human senses, then learn how other animals use their unique eyes, ears, noses, tongues, hands, whiskers, and more! Teacher Activity Packet available in PDF. format for downloading

We're All Relatives - This adventure in animal classification will highlight characteristics of different classes of animals with backbones.


GRADES 3-5
What’s In Your Backyard? - “What animals can you see without going to the zoo?” Find out about the diversity of New York’s animal inhabitants. Students will be surprised to learn that there are animals other than pigeons and squirrels living in their backyards.

Predator/Prey - “How can a population of lynx control a population of hares?” This program focuses on predator/prey relationships, with emphasis on adaptations of predators and prey. Students will also discover the interconnectedness of predator and prey populations.

Cool Classes - (Choice of one: Bird, Mammal, Amphibian, Reptile or Fish) Each program will explore one class of vertebrates. You can choose to learn about birds, the only animals with feathers and a modern day link to dinosaurs; mammals, a class of fur covered animals, including humans; amphibians, animals who spend part of their life in water and part of it on land; reptiles, a diverse class of cold-blooded animals covered in scales; or fish, the wet, scaly, gill breathing animals who live in a world still

African Safari - The Savannah is a very special home to the largest land animals, and the largest herds. Discover why it's cool to be hot! Teacher Activity Packet available in PDF. format for downloading.

Radical Rain Forest - Explore layers of life in these threatened habitats, from subterranean to the high canopy. Then visit our own Tropical Forest Exhibit. Teacher Activity Packet available in PDF. format for downloading

Animal Adaptations - All animals have bodies and behaviors which help them to survive. Investigate examples of the bizarre and the common, each fascinating in its own way.

Dinosaurs and Dodos - Going, Going, Gone! What caused the great dinosaur extinction? What is causing a current bigger extinction? What can we do to save endangered plants and animals?.

Incredible Invertebrates - Spineless but special, most animals in the world do not have backbones. Discover through classification, the strange, the scary, the amazing world of insects, spiders, crustaceans, and their kin.

Animal Behavior - They may sometimes seem bizarre, but animals do what they do for good reasons. Learn "how and why so you can "read between the lions"

Careers with Animals - Accountants to Zookeepers, microbiologists and mechanics. Discover the diversity and excitement of working with animals.

Note: Grades 6-8 may also select special tailored versions of Grades 3-5 programs.


GRADES 9-12
We offer specially designed versions of Animal Behavior, Careers with Animals, What’s In Your Backyard?, Predator/Prey and Cool Classes.


These programs are made possible in part by the Natural Heritage Trust of the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation and Historic Preservation. The Staten Island Zoo is a New York City owned facility and is supported in part by the City of New York through an annual appropriation from the Department of Cultural Affairs.
These programs are also partially funded by New York State Senator Andrew Lanza, Assemblyman Matthew Titone and Staten Senator Diane Savino.

STAFF PROFILES

Ella Viola – Director of Education

It is a dream come true for Ella to work at the Staten Island Zoo as Director of Education. Her love for nature and animals directed her away from her first career in the business world. She went back to school and became a Veterinary Technician. While in this field she worked for LaGuardia Community College assisting in all the Veterinary Technician classes which she thoroughly enjoyed. However, wanting to work with children and animals was Ella’s goal and she knew that at the zoo she could realize her dream.
Starting out as a part-time instructor and birthday party coordinator for the Education Department, Ella has been with the Staten Island Zoo since 1998. In 2000 she became Traveling Zoo Instructor and brought the zoo to many schools throughout the city. Two years later she was promoted to Assistant Director of Education before recently taking on the job of Director of Education. She hopes to be at the zoo for a long time teaching children about the wonderful world of animals.

Tee Jay Boudreau - Special Events and Volunteer Coordinator


born and raised in Rhode Island, comes to Staten Island Zoo as a recent graduate of the Longwood Graduate Program at the University of Delaware where he received his Master of Science in Public Horticulture Administration. Prior to his time at Delaware, he completed an internship in the Design Studio at Longwood Gardens, after earning his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Rhode Island.

While studying in the Longwood Program, Tee Jay was able to partake in many activities, including visiting countless public horticulture institutions in his travels across the US and abroad. He concentrated his thesis work on understanding the current state of volunteer management within public gardens. He used this knowledge to build a framework for those individuals looking to enhance their own program or start anew. It is his passion for optimizing the human experience in cultural venues for visitors, staff, and volunteers, which Tee Jay hopes to bring to Staten Island Zoo as the newly appointed special events and volunteer coordinator.

(c) 2006, StatenIslandZoo.Org