Brandywine Zoo - Teacher Resources

Teachers enjoy a sunny day at the zoo learning how to enhance and enrich lessons in their classrooms.

Teacher Resources

Need help teaching tough topics in science? Take advantage of the Brandywine Zoo's Teacher Workshops and/or Loan Kit Program. All Teacher Workshops are designed to enhance and enrich what is being taught in the classroom. The Zoo's loan kits provide simple lessons that you can follow with your class and are available for two-week periods. All teachers who want to borrow a loan kit must complete the Loan Kit Teacher Workshop conducted through the Delaware Teacher Center.

For additional information about Teacher Workshops and Loan Kits, call the Delaware Teacher Center (800) 282-8770 or visit their website.

Special Programs

Friday, April 20: 10am - 1pm

Earth Day Event for School Groups!

Ages 3 and up
Educators and students, spend the morning learning about the "Beauty of Bats" at Brandywine Zoo's annual Earth Day Celebration! 2012 is The Year of the Bat and we are dedicating a Party for the Planet intended to inspire students to become champions of our wild, and delicate bat friends! The day will include various fun bat and pollinator-related activity stations, games, crafts, and much more...ALL meeting many science standards! Celebration takes place in the zoo, so dress for the weather. Registration strongly suggested, walk-ins welcome. Pre-registration required by April 13th. Special Pre-registration Fee: $2.00 per person includes zoo admission and program. To register click here.

Teacher Workshop

Take a Local Walk on the Wild Side with Wilmington State Parks
and the Brandywine Zoo! #6673
WHO: Science Teachers K-12
WHEN: March 3, 2012
TIME: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
WHERE: Brandywine Zoo Education Bldg., 1001 North Park Dr., Wilmington, DE
INSTRUCTORS: Jill Karlson, Curator of Education and Barbara Woodford, Trainer/Educator, Wilmington State Parks
CREDIT: 3 Clock Hours

This workshop is designed to equip teachers with tools to enhance and enrich their students' knowledge about invasive, domestic, and exotic species of plants and animals. Teachers can use this knowledge in the classroom during animal, habitat, conservation, biology, ecology, and social studies related units. It also provides two valuable field trip resources, the Brandywine Zoo and Wilmington State Parks, that will enhance standards based units, particularly science. Activities include a nature walk through Wilmington State Park to identify indigenous and invasive species and a walk through the zoo to learn more abut local and exotic wildlife and conservation practices.

Loan Kit Topics Include:

Explore the Brandywine Zoo
Cargo for Conservation Loan Kit
File Folder Games, Habitats!
Make and Take File Folder Games Animal Themes
Structures of Life

Fees & Registration

Fees and Registration are handled through the Delaware Department of Education
If the kits need to be shipped, teachers will be responsible for all UPS costs.

Explore the Brandywine Zoo #5564I

WHO: Teachers K-12
WHEN: February 11, 2012
TIME: 9:00am - 12pm
WHERE: The Brandywine Zoo, 1001 North Park Dr., Wilmington, DE
INSTRUCTOR: Matt Halterman, Outreach Program Manager, The Brandywine Zoo
CREDIT: 3 Clock Hours

During this workshop participants will participate in pre-visit, visit, and post-visit zoo activities. Teachers can use this knowledge in the classroom during animal, habitat, conservation, biology, and ecology related units. It will also provide them with a field trip resource and an on-site zoo program resource that enhances standards based units, particularly science. Visiting Delaware's only zoo offers teachers an opportunity to learn about what a valuable teaching resource the zoo can be.

Cargo for Conservation: A Loan Kit at the Brandywine Zoo # 6674

WHO: Teachers 3-12
WHEN: February 15, 2012
TIME: 5:30 - 8:30pm
WHERE: The Brandywine Zoo, 1001 North Park Dr., Wilmington, DE
INSTRUCTOR: Jill Karlson, Curator of Education, The Brandywine Zoo
CREDIT: 3 Clock Hours

Bring wildlife conservation to life with the Brandywine Zoo's Cargo for Conservation loan kit. Using NEW for 2012 confiscated endangered species biofacts! These exclusive items are ONLY found in Delaware at the Brandywine Zoo...and we are making them available for teachers to borrow for lessons in the classroom! We'll explore topics including: consumerism, proper pet choices, and being knowledgeable about the effects of the wildlife trade (illegal and legal!) We'll review the contents of the kit which includes useful wildlife conservation activities and confiscated endangered wildlife biofacts such as a walrus tusk, wolf skin, ocelot workbag, python skin, rare bird feathers, elephant hair and much, much more. After completing the workshop, teachers will be certified to use the Cargo for Conservation loan kit and can schedule the kit for use during the school year...absolutely free of charge! Don't miss your chance to become certified to use this unique and useful teaching tool!

File Folder Games, Habitats!

Come make some special folder games to use in your classroom. Designed by the Brandywine Zoo Education Department, these games will illustrate animal habitats and can be used to augment animal themed science units.

Make and Take File Folder Games Animal Themes

Teachers will be given the opportunity to make several file folder games that augment science and animal units. Designed by the Brandywine Zoo Education Department, these games will illustrate basic science concepts like habitats, animal classification, camouflage and conservation.

Structures of Life: Teacher Enhancement & Field Trip Experience

Are you looking for a field trip experience that supports the Structures of Life Module? Do you want your students to experience real-life applications of the structure/function relationship in organisms? Enroll in our new instructional program, Structures of Life Teacher Enhancement. This program gives you a free field-based, instructional manual that supports concepts presented in the Structures of Life Module. This new Structures of Life Teacher Enhancement Manual includes lots of fun, cross curricular activities, projects, games, fact sheets, craft activities and a teacher resource section that lists reading resources and websites. The concepts presented extend an understanding of structures of organisms, adaptations, biodiversity and conservation of organisms to meet the challenges presented by the Structures of Life Module.