Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo offers a range of unique learning workshops with our experienced Zoo Educators, from ECE age all the way up to Year 13. A Learning Workshop at the Zoo provides ākonga with the chance to meet some amazing animals, both global and native, to help them understand the role of a progressive Zoo and learn how they can care for animals and the environment.
The Zoo is an Enriching Local Curriculum (ELC), funded by the Ministry of Education. This means we can offer specialized learning experiences to schools and ECE groups at reduced prices.
Animal Adaptations - Years 0-2
Year 0 - 8 | Animals and Welfare
Feathers, fur or scales: which is best? Using interactive activities, explore how animals' distinctive features and needs differ from species to species and help them survive in their unique environments.
Activities on this day
What features do animals have that help them find food, find friends, and stay safe? Learn how different adaptations help different animals survive and thrive in their unique habitats.
Learning Outcomes
Give examples of what animals require in order to survive.
Name an adaptation of an animal and explain how it helps it to survive in its habitat.
NZ Curriculum
Science: Living World
• Life processes Level 1-2: Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive;
• Ecology Level 1-2: Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat;
• Evolution Level 1-2: Recognise that there are lots of different living things in the world and that they can be grouped in different ways.
• Participating and Contributing Level 2: Explore and act on issues and questions that link their science learning to their daily living.
• Life processes Level 3-4: Recognise that there are life processes common to all living things and that these occur in different ways.
• Ecology Level 3-4: Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to environmental changes, both natural and human-induced.
Animal Adaptations - Years 3-4
Year 0 - 8 | Animals and Welfare
Feathers, fur or scales: which is best? Using interactive activities, explore how animals' distinctive features and needs differ from species to species and help them survive in their unique environments.
Activities on this day
What features do different animals need to survive in their different habitats? We will compare the features of different animals and discover how they are uniquely suited to help them in different ways.
Learning Outcomes
• Discuss how a feature an animal has helps it to survive in its habitat.
• Give an example of a common life process that occurs differently in different animals.
NZ Curriculum
Science: Living World
• Life processes Level 1-2: Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive;
• Ecology Level 1-2: Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat;
• Evolution Level 1-2: Recognise that there are lots of different living things in the world and that they can be grouped in different ways.
• Participating and Contributing Level 2: Explore and act on issues and questions that link their science learning to their daily living.
• Life processes Level 3-4: Recognise that there are life processes common to all living things and that these occur in different ways.
• Ecology Level 3-4: Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to environmental changes, both natural and human-induced.
Animal Adaptations - Years 5-6
Year 0 - 8 | Animals and Welfare
Feathers, fur or scales: which is best? Using interactive activities, explore how animals' distinctive features and needs differ from species to species and help them survive in their unique environments.
Activities on this day
How can we help animals thrive in their wild habitats? Learn how animals’ adaptations make them perfectly suited to their unique habitats, and how natural or human-induced changes can affect them.
Learning Outcomes
• Identify features of animals and how they are suited to their habitat.
• Explain how environmental change (both natural and human-induced) can affect animals’ ability to survive in the wild.
NZ Curriculum
Science: Living World
• Life processes Level 1-2: Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive
;• Ecology Level 1-2: Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat;
• Evolution Level 1-2: Recognise that there are lots of different living things in the world and that they can be grouped in different ways.
• Participating and Contributing Level 2: Explore and act on issues and questions that link their science learning to their daily living
.• Life processes Level 3-4: Recognise that there are life processes common to all living things and that these occur in different ways.
• Ecology Level 3-4: Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to environmental changes, both natural and human-induced.
Animal Adaptations - Years 7-8
Year 0 - 8 | Animals and Welfare
Feathers, fur or scales: which is best? Using interactive activities, explore how animals' distinctive features and needs differ from species to species and help them survive in their unique environments.
Activities on this day
Learners will observe the ways in which animals interact with their habitats focusing on how predator/prey relationships drive adaptations. We will explore examples of ways in which animals respond to environmental changes.
Learning Outcomes
• Identify structural, behavioural or physiological features of animals that help them to survive.
• Discuss what allows an animal to thrive within its environment.
• Describe the role of interspecific relationships in shaping an ecosystem and discuss how environmental change may influence those relationships.
NZ Curriculum
Science: Living World
• Life processes Level 1-2: Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive
• Ecology Level 1-2: Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat;
• Evolution Level 1-2: Recognise that there are lots of different living things in the world and that they can be grouped in different ways.
• Participating and Contributing Level 2: Explore and act on issues and questions that link their science learning to their daily living
• Life processes Level 3-4: Recognise that there are life processes common to all living things and that these occur in different ways.
• Ecology Level 3-4: Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to environmental changes, both natural and human-induced.
Animal Behaviour - Years 0-2
Year 0 - 8 | Animals and Welfare
What do animals do all day and why do they do it? Engage the senses and uncover how animals use sound, sight and smell to survive in their habitats.
Activities on this day
What is that animal doing? Discover how animals use sound, sight and movement in different ways to find food, live in groups and stay safe.
Learning Outcomes
• Describe ways animals behave
• Give examples of why animals move or do things in certain ways
NZ Curriculum
Science: Living World
- Life processes Level 1-2: Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive;
- Ecology Level 1-2: Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat
Nature of Science
- Investigating in Science: Extend their experiences and personal explanations of the natural world through exploration, play, asking questions and discussing simple models
Animal Behaviour - Years 3-4
Year 0 - 8 | Animals and Welfare
What do animals do all day and why do they do it? Engage the senses and uncover how animals use sound, sight and smell to survive in their habitats.
Activities on this day
How do animals know what to do? Explore ways animals communicate in groups to keep each other safe, and discover how we encourage animals’ natural behaviours at the Zoo.
Learning Outcomes
• Give examples of why animals move or do things in certain ways
• Explore the different ways animals communicate
• Explain how we build animal habitats to encourage their natural behaviours
NZ Curriculum
Science: Living World
- Life processes Level 1-2: Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive;
- Ecology Level 1-2: Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat
Nature of Science
- Investigating in Science: Extend their experiences and personal explanations of the natural world through exploration, play, asking questions and discussing simple models
