Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden Logo
   FOUNDED IN 1928
Join us for the Orchid Escape preview party! Open 9AM - 4PM 365 Days A Year Blog

Teacher Resources

Planning A Zoo Trip

Group Rates: Adults - $6.50, Children - $5.50
To qualify for the group rate,GROUP RESERVATION FORM must be received TWO WEEKS prior to your visit date. Groups must consist of 15 or more people (age 3 and above).

To check availability, please refer to our regularly updated group reservation calendar. It shows the number of people we expect based on reservations that have been received by the zoo.

For more information please e-mail [email protected].

PRINT Chaperone Cards

 

Curricula Resources

Indiana Bat

Indiana Bats, Kids & Caves - Oh My!
PRINT An Activity Book For Teachers.pdf

THIS IS A LARGE FILE AND WILL TAKE TIME TO DOWNLOAD.

 
Scavenger Hunts For Your Zoo Trip

Make your trip to the zoo educational and memorable by using one of our scavenger hunts to reinforce classroom lessons!

Title
Target Age
 
Carnival of the Animals Preschool

Preschoolers love animals, music and rhyme -  print these cards and hunt for  musical animals while you tour the zoo with your group.  Flash cards have a song or poem on one side and a picture of the animal you are looking for on the other side.  Smiles & giggles guaranteed!

   
Going, Going, Gone Lower Elementary

Habitat destruction is one of the leading causes of extinction in the world today.  These scavenger hunts designed for elementary students aid in their understanding of when a plant or animal becomes extinct they are gone forever.  Join your students as they search for answers and learn a lesson in conservation and the importance of protecting our natural world.

   
Signs - Reading Comprehension Elementary

Enhance your 1st-3rd graders visit to the zoo by having them work in teams or alone to search out the answers for this scavenger hunt.  When students take the time to read signs and write down the answers you automatically have topics to discuss in the classroom after your visit to the zoo. 

   
Animal Play Elementary

Playing is important to children and animals.  Use this scavenger hunt to guide your 2nd - 3rd grade groups' play into learning activities.  Students will enjoy hunting for the answers by reading signs throughout the zoo and teachers will have teaching points for the classroom.

   
Going, Going, Gone Middle Elementary

Habitat destruction is one of the leading causes of extinction in the world today.  These scavenger hunts designed for elementary students aid in their understanding of when a plant or animal becomes extinct they are gone forever.  Join your students as they search for answers and learn a lesson in conservation and the importance of protecting our natural world.

   
Wild Behavior Elementary

Ever wonder why animals do some of the strange things they do?  Do they need a time-out or is this just normal behavior?  Teachers in 2nd-3rd  grade classrooms spend a lot of time talking about the way students should act in class.  Reinforce that message by answering questions about why animals behave the way they do.  "Wild Behavior" gives teachers the opportunity to discuss animal behavior and adaptations.

   
Wild Behavior Upper Elementary

For 4th-5th graders, we offer a little more challenging scavenger hunt that examines animal behavior and adaptations.  "Wild Behavior" challenges students to think about what animals do and why.  This activity could be used as a writing prompt for research projects or creative writing activities.  Please feel free to share your results with us – email [email protected].

   
Going, Going, Gone Upper Elementary

Habitat destruction is one of the leading causes of extinction in the world today.  These scavenger hunts designed for elementary students aid in their understanding of when a plant or animal becomes extinct they are gone forever.  Join your students as they search for answers and learn a lesson in conservation and the importance of protecting our natural world.

   
Total Zoo
Upper Elementary or Middle School

Turn your trip to the zoo into a research project or extra credit activity.  Middle school students can use this scavenger hunt as research for a project or as ideas for a creative writing assignment.  We would love for you to share your results with us – just email them to the zoo.

   
Expedition: Zoo Upper Elementary or Middle School
Turn your 3rd-7th grade students into field researchers.  What makes a mammal a mammal?  Why do spiders spin webs?  The answers to these and many more questions can be found throughout the zoo as you turn the zoo into the best classroom ever.  Use the answers to these questions as prompts for research projects or creative writing assignments.  We would love for you to share your results with us – email [email protected]
   
Habitats & Exhibits Middle School

Visiting the zoo is more than just a day out of class.  Teachers can incorporate writing activities as well as science on your field trip.  Use this guide to focus student's attention to one animal or a group of animals and bring information back to the classroom.  We'd love for you to share projects with us – email them to: [email protected]

   
   

 


 
Accredited By The Association Of Zoos And Aquariums

Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden, 1545 Mesker Park Drive, Evansville, Indiana 47720    (812) 435-6143