Posts Tagged ‘Brown Education Center’

May
04

May: Story Safari at the Houston Zoo!

Posted by in Featured,Fun on grounds,Public Programs

Yay, its May! As much as we enjoyed April’s stories, its time for a new book here at Story Safari in the Children’s Zoo’s butterfly stage. Beginning May 6th 2012 – May 19th 2012 we will be reading an awesome sing-along storybook titled The Boy on the Bus by Penny Dale at 10:30AM and 11:00AM.

The boy on this bus drives round and round- but who wants to ride on the bus? Trust us, its not who you’d expect! Hop on board as a very crowded bus full of furry feathery friends oink, quack, and cluck their way through the countryside, in this new version of a classic sing-along!

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Apr
20

April-May 5th: Story Safari at the Houston Zoo!

Posted by in Animal Fun Facts,Education Office,Featured,Fun on grounds,Public Programs,Teacher Resources

We’ve been having so much fun the past couple of weeks reading Mr. Brown Can Moo Can you? By Dr. Seuss during Story Safari at the Children’s Zoo Butterfly stage. We’ve even had some wonderfully noisy animal guests appearances for the 11:00AM Story Safari! Starting April 22nd through May 5th we will be reading a brand new book titled Duck on Bike by David Shannon (no ear plugs needed for this one). Come on out to the Children’s Zoo’s Butterfly stage at 10:30AM and 11:00AM to hear a story of an adventurous duck on his first bike ride!

Duck on a Bike by David Shannon

From Sheep to Horse to Chicken to Goat, everyone has something to say about Duck’s zany idea to ride a bike. But what were they really thinking? And most importantly, what will happen next? Wobble your way over to Story Safari to find out!

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Apr
10

Amazing Animal Artists!

Posted by in Public Programs

As you may know, the Education department took over the logistics of tours last year.  This means that we do the behind-the-scenes arrangements for behind-the-scenes tours!  (I blogged about it, so you can read more if you missed it or forgot.) 

One of our raccoons paints with a brush, while the other likes to use her hands.

Part of taking over tours means that we now also coordinate animal art purchases made by the public.  What?  You didn’t know that you could purchase animal art?  Well, you can!

You may have heard about how our orangutans are artists who help raise money for wild orangutans through Pongos helping Pongos.  You might have seen one of our incredible painting goats on the blog or on YouTube.  It’s even possible that you have heard of our artistic elephants and their painting adventures.  Believe it or not, these are just a few of the animals at the Houston Zoo who paint on a regular basis!

We have several painting primates; our Saki monkey and siamangs enjoy their chance at the canvas as much as our orangutans do.  The Children’s Zoo animals really get into the act, with painting goats, raccoons, and parrots!  We even have carnivores who are artists!!  Our jaguars, lions, and maned wolves paint with their paws instead of brushes.  And of course, two of our elephants make stunning artwork of their own. 

Painting is a form of enrichment for our animals.  It gives them something different to do, something new to smell, and different textures to feel.  For some of our animals, painting is part of their training program; for others, it’s provided as an option during their day.  All of our animals are given the choice if they want to participate.  If they’re not in the mood, the painting has to wait.  On at least one occasion, this has made for an even more interesting painting!

Want to know more about how you can own a piece of animal art?   Visit www.houstonzoo.org/animalart.  You can get in on the fun as well, choosing up to two colors of paint for your work of art!

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Apr
07

April: Story Safari at the Houston Zoo!

Posted by in Events,Featured,Fun on grounds,Public Programs

We’ll be making a whole lot of wonderful noises this month during Story Safari at the Children’s Zoo’s butterfly stage with a new favorite book titled Mr. Brown can Moo! Can you? By Dr. Seuss. We’ll be reading this classic book everyday beginning April 8th through April 21st at 10:30:00AM and 11:00:00AM.

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss

Oh, the things Mr. Brown can do! Join us as we listen to the talented Mr. Brown show us all that he can do. Did you know “Mr. Brown is so smart he can even do this: he can even make a noise like a goldfish kiss!… pip!”? Come show us all the wonderful noise you can make during Story Safari at the Children’s Zoo’s Butterfly Stage! Note: Adults might need aspirin after this. :-)

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Feb
29

Girl Scout Badge Day March 31, 2012

Posted by in Badge programs

Join us Saturday March 31st for a fun and exciting day of Girl Scout Badge Workshops!

This year we are offering NEW badge programs for Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors. Each workshop is 2 hours in length and includes a tour around the Zoo. Girl Scouts will meet badge requirements by creating crafts to take home, playing games, and learning about some of the animals that call the Zoo home. AND there will be some really cool raffle prizes, including one of a kind animal paintings!

For more information or to register for Girl Scout Badge Day, click here.

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Feb
04

Photography, Part 2!

Posted by in Classes/Programs,Fun on grounds,Public Programs

Teaching Point, Click, Zoo

I am so excited about a new opportunity that we are offering here in the Education Department!

My favorite class to teach is Point, Click, Zoo, our beginning-level adult photography class.  Last fall I trained all of my coworkers on the program so they could start teaching it as well.  I can now reveal the reason for this: Point, Click, Zoo, part 2!

That’s right!  Starting this year we’re offering an addition to our photography class lineup.  The first class of this new program will be on Feb. 25th.  Since it is part 2, we are assuming a certain level of photographic knowledge, particularly how to use the manual settings on your camera, but we’re not requiring participants to have joined us for part 1. 

This time, we’ll spend most of our time out on grounds, discussing some of the exhibits that present challenges for our photo-minded guests.

Want more information about either the original Point, Click, Zoo or the new Point, Click, Zoo, Part 2?  Check out www.houstonzoo.org/teensandadults!

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Dec
01

Passing the Torch

Posted by in Camp,Classes/Programs

 

I'm helping a participant with her camera.

I have mentioned before that my favorite program to teach here at the Houston Zoo is our beginner-level adult photography class called Point, Click, Zoo.  It’s a good thing that I like it, because until recently I was the only person in the department who could teach it!

Now, there are six of us Education Specialists in the Education Department, and it seems a little unfair for me to hog all of the photo classes.  The issue is not that I’m unwilling to share; rather, it is a technical class and the other specialists did not have the background needed to be comfortable teaching it.

We’ve changed that now!  This fall, we did several sessions together to get everybody trained on camera techniques as well as the specifics of the curriculum.  Not everyone is quite comfortable with the program yet, but we have a couple who are ready.  On December 10, it’s time for me to pass the torch as two of my coworkers, Amy and DeAndra, team up to teach their first Point, Click, Zoo!

Elizabeth took this awesome tarantula photo during our staff training!

It’s a little bittersweet for me.  I’m excited that I can share the program with others and proud of Amy and DeAndra for tackling it head on, but at the same time I am a bit sad that I don’t get to teach it.  Our photo program has grown like a weed, though, with Wildlife Photography offered as a summer camp this year and as a Winter Camp in December!  Perhaps getting everybody ready to teach Point, Click, Zoo will mean that I can start working on more photography possibilities!

If you’re into photography, I hope you can join us for the next Point, Click, Zoo on December 10!  I’m certain that Amy and DeAndra will do an amazing job!

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Nov
25

What Does an Education Specialist Do? Part III

Posted by in Classes/Programs,Education Office

Ever wonder what an Education Specialist at the Houston Zoo does on a daily basis? You may remember being introduced to all the specialists in earlier posts and we all gave you our own description of what we do around here. Well, in this series I’m going to take you through a day (or three) in the life of an Education Specialist!

So, you now have an idea of the types of classes we teach as Education Specialists. We are not always in the classroom or going to schools. Sometimes we use nature as our classroom!

 

Marine Seining

One of the FREE (yes, I said free!)  programs we offer is a field research trip to Texas City Prairie Preserve. During the school year 3 specialists go to the preserve and lead activities such as marine seining, water quality testing, and insect sweeping with different age groups. During marine seining, the kids go out in the water with a net and try to catch whatever they can. This is usually their favorite activity because they like to get in the water. They catch all kinds of aquatic life such as crabs, different kinds of fish, and tons of shrimp!

 

Testing for salinity

 

My favorite activity to teach at Texas City is water quality testing. I take my group down to the gazebo and we talk about why water quality is important to animals and us too! We do pH and dissolved oxygen tests. We also test for salinity, turbidity, and take the temperature. All important tests when collecting water quality data.

 

 

 

We like to wrap up the day by teaching the group the Attwater’s prairie chicken dance. The male prairie chicken does a mating dance to attract a female. The kids think this is hilarious but it is actually a really important piece of the prairie chicken’s survival.

So, now you know what an Education Specialist at the Houston Zoo actually does. It is a very exciting and rewarding occupation. I feel very fortunate to be able to share the knowledge and experience I have with kids all over! I hope you enjoyed reading this blog series. Stay tuned to see what happens next in the life of an Education Specialist!

 

 

 

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Nov
11

What Does an Education Specialist Do?

Posted by in Classes/Programs

Ever wonder what an Education Specialist at the Houston Zoo does on a daily basis? You may remember being introduced to all the specialists in earlier posts and we all gave you our own description of what we do around here. Well, in this series I’m going to take you through a day (or three) in the life of an Education Specialist!

North American Porcupine

So, on this particular day I am scheduled for an Adventure Class. This is my favorite class to teach because I can bring all the “cool” biofacts.  Not that they all aren’t cool, but I can bring the really big, impressive mounts and skulls. This particular Adventure Class’s topic is Survival Gear. We are talking about animal adaptations! AND not only can I bring the “cool” biofacts, but I also am bringing 3 live Education program animals!

Once the students arrive, it’s go time! I have 45 minutes to make them all experts on adaptation. The kids are always excited to see and talk about animals, which is what make my job so wonderful!
 
After it all said and done I clean up my classroom, take the animals back to the Children’s Zoo, and go back to the “behind the scenes” portion of my job. This could include anything from meetings to writing camp curriculum.
 
Stayed tuned next week to find out what it is like to go on a Zoomobile with an Education Specialist…
 
 

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Oct
19

A Day JUST for Educators!

Posted by in Education Office,Events,Teacher Resources

Working in the Education Department here at the Houston Zoo gives us the opportunity to work with a variety of ages, from infants to senior citizens. One of the groups we see is educators, which is why we dedicate an entire day every fall just for them.

This year’s Educator Day is Saturday, November 12th. The event runs from 9:00am to 3:00pm and gives educators the chance to learn new animal facts, discover creative activities to use in their classroom and explore what’s new at the Zoo! We offer 3 to 6 continuing education credit hours for participants, as well as a raffle and giveaways for all registrants. The price is $20 per person and includes admission into the Zoo.

Green sea turtle-native to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico

We tailor our workshops, activities and tours to educators, so we only allow adults over the age of 18 to participate. We welcome college students studying education, administrators and teachers of all disciplines to register!

This year we will be offering three special opportunities. The first is a meet and greet to start off the morning with some of our most special birds of prey from around the Zoo.

One of our conservation workshops will be conducted by Carole Allen, the Gulf Office Director of Sea Turtle Restoration and HEART. Carole will be presenting a workshop called “Sea Turtle Conservation in the Classroom” where she will be giving educators fun craft and project ideas as well as playing a documentary about the endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle.

We will also offer discounted tickets for participating educators to the Call of the Wild Speaker Series that afternoon. Dr. Douglas Smith from the Yellowstone Wolf Restoration Project will be in the Brown Education Center speaking about his experience with wildlife from 4:00-5:00pm. The event kicks off at 3:30pm with informational booths about some of our North American conservation projects. Educators who attend this speaker series can not only buy discounted tickets at Educator Day, they will also receive an additional 1.5 hours of continuing education credit hours. How could you say no?!?

Join us at the Call of the Wild Speaker Series to learn more about the Wolves in Yellowstone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Registration information as well as our schedule of events can be found on our website at www.houstonzoo.org/teachers. We hope to see you at the Zoo on Saturday, November 12th!

If you haven’t joined the education conversation yet, make sure to do so by becoming a fan of Houston Zoo Teacher Talk on Facebook. It’s the easiest, fastest way to keep up-to-date with all of the educational happenings at the Houston Zoo!

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