Core Education Topics
John Ball Zoo's Wild Encounter and Traveling Zoo programs are designed to teach the
following science topics to your students. Other, more customized programs are also
available upon request.
Preschool – Kindergarten
Animal Essentials
Students learn the basic needs of animals and how they satisfy these needs to survive.
Michigan Wildlife
Students get the chance to explore the wild side of Michigan and learn more about the
animals that might be right in your backyard.
Animal Senses
Students explore their own senses as well as those that animals use to survive.
Body Coverings
Experience the furry, feathery and scaly side of the animal world and learn why the animals are covered the way they are.
Grades 1st – 3rd
Animal Classification
Grouping animals by their common characteristics is important for better understanding animals. Students learn about the basic animal groups through up-close identification of their similarities and differences.
Growing up Wild
All animals are not raised the same and not all babies look like their parents. We'll explore parents, their young and how they each grow up differently.
Habitats
Every animal needs a home and is adapted to survival in this environment. We'll explore a variety of habitats around the world and how some animals find the food, water, shelter and space they need in them.
Grades 4th and Above
Animal Adaptations
Students get an up-close look at the amazing physical and behavioral adaptations animals have adapted to survive in the environments where they live.
Predator-Prey
It is eat and avoid being eaten in nature. Students learn about the adaptations that help predators find their prey and those that help potential prey avoid being eaten while exploring the connections these animals have with each other.
Connections
Everything's connected in nature. Students learn about trophic levels and how energy flows through an ecosystem. We'll help them recognize the connections animals and plants have and why each one is important for the ecosystem.
Endangered Species and Wildlife Conservation
Some species need a little help in nature and recognizing which ones are endangered is just the first step. Students will learn what they can do as well as what others are doing to help protect wildlife and their habitats around the world.
Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations
To learn about how our core education topics address Michigan grade level content
expectations for science and social studies, click here.
1300 W. Fulton St Grand Rapids, MI 49504 Phone: 616.336.4301 Email:
kkemp@jbzoo.org