KS2 AFRICA!
CURRICULUM LINKS
SC2 Life Processes and Living Things
5a Living things and the environment need protection
5b Different plants and animals found in different habitats
SC1 Scientific enquiry
2a Pupils should be taught to ask questions that can be investigated scientifically
and decide how to find the answers.
2f Pupils should be taught to make systematic observations and measurements,
including the use of ICT for data-logging.
2g Pupils should be taught to check observations and measurements by repeating
them where appropriate.
2i Pupils should be taught to make comparisons and identify simple patterns or
associations in their own observations and measurements or other data
2j Pupils should be taught to use observations, measurements or other data to
draw conclusions
2k Pupils should be taught to decide whether these conclusions agree with any
prediction made and/or whether they enable further predictions to be made
2l Pupils should be taught to use their scientific knowledge and understanding to
explain observations, measurements or other data or conclusions
Updated July 2015
Chester Zoo’s oldest
Chimpanzee, Borris
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After attending this workshop, all pupils will be able to:
- Define the role of the rangers in protecting animals.
- Participate in animal behaviour research to understand different
types of behaviour shown by zoo animals.
- Understand the importance of working in a team
Most students will be able to:
- Investigate the differences between different animals’ behaviours.
- Discuss the importance of protecting animals like the Rhino.
- Understand the importance of research and data collection with
regards to protecting animals.
Some students will be able to:
- Evaluate the observational data collected from the animals.
DID YOU KNOW?
There are a selection of curriculum- linked self-led Explorer trails available to download at
http://www.chesterzoo.org/WhatWeDo/Education/Explorer%20Programme.aspx ,
A cheetah at Chester Zoo
LESSON PLAN
Using a variety of artefacts (some real), we will investigate the continent of
Africa, looking at the people and animals that you will find there and how
Chester Zoo is involved in protecting African animals.
Using the Zoo as a classroom, learners will discover the work or the rangers,
being introduced to topics such as tracking animals, animal poaching and Chester
Zoo’s work with various ranger programs across Africa. Learners will investigate
Massai culture, looking at Massai tribespeople and events such as the Massai
Olympics.
Learners will also collect observational behaviour data from Chester Zoos animals,
looking at animals like Meerkats, African Savannah Birds, Black Rhinos, Painted
Dogs, Rock Hyrax and Aardvarks.
The session will be split into parts, with learners spending half of the session
with the Education Officer looking at the different topics and half of the session
observing animals and collecting data.
IMPORTANT NOTE – Bio-Artefact Contact
Some Discovery Workshops MAY include a selection of bio-artefacts. Please inform us in
advance of any allergies or phobias that may be affected by this. An antibacterial foam hand
wash will be offered to all students at the end of the workshop. In order for this to be
effective, teachers are asked to ensure that all students have clean hands on arrival at the
Education Centre or Session meeting point.
Critically Endangered Sumatran Tigers
at Chester Zoo
IMPORTANT PRE-VISIT INFORMATION
BEFORE VISIT:
Before your visit, please organise each class of 20 pupils (or in some
cases smaller) into FOUR equal groups.
In each small group, learners need to be allocated a role:- a
‘communications officer’, a ‘navigator’ and the rest will be ‘researchers’
(so, no more than 3 of these in each group).
The ‘communications officer’ will be in charge of radio transmissions
and keeping in touch with base (The Education Officer), the ‘navigator’
will be leading the group to their research destinations and the three
‘researchers’ will be studying various animals. It would be really helpful
if each pupil knows their role before we start.
At various enclosures, the researchers will be studying animal
behaviour by filling in an ethogram, an example of this will be sent with
the booking confirmation. To get your learners used to this, it will be
useful to practice this activity in school before the trip (researchers tick
the form every 30 seconds, while the other pupils pretend to be the
animals they are observing). It should only take you 5-10 minutes to try
this once (but feel free to have longer to practice if you feel it is
required). If you bring a camera along on the trip, you’ll be able to
record their data and use it in class to investigate numbers, graphs
and tables (e.g. see which animals were most active etc.).
Ensuring that this pre-visit preparation is completed will mean that less
time will need to be taken at the start of the session explaining roles
and how to use an ethogram so your learners will have more time to
explore Africa as a continent and observe Chester Zoo’s African
animals.
DURING VISIT
A Critically Endangered Bluethroated Macaw
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES TO LINK WITH YOUR
WORKSHOP
DURING VISIT
• Go along to one of the Presenter talks. Times are available at All presenters are
happy to answer individual questions after their talk.
• Draw and photograph the animals perhaps focusing on camouflage and other
adaptations. Pictures could also be collected in order to build food chains back in
school.
AFTER VISIT
• Animal A-Z Games (on the coach?)
• Think of an animal beginning with each letter of the alphabet.
• Something beginning with for example ‘z a lion might eat’, or ‘a meat-eating
animal beginning with J’. An animal that flies/hops/swims beginning with …
• Letter Writing - Write and tell us about your day at the Zoo.
• Designer Animal - Invent an animal designed to live in a specific habitat.
• Draw it and annotate to indicate its adaptations.
• Food Chains - From photos taken in the Zoo build food chain wall displays.
• Make animal masks to make living food chains with pupils. From a long list of
species from a habitat make as many different food chains as possible (could
use species only once or multiple times).
One of Chester Zoo’s everpopular Meerkats!