Education

Chaperone Guide

On behalf of the Las Vegas Zoo, thank you for your support for your group’s field trip to the zoo. Please abide by all the instructions given to you by the teacher and the staff at the zoo.

Some Specific Pointers To Enhance Your Groups Visit To The Zoo
1 Children learn best when they are in a safe environment, and they will feel most safe if you, the adult in charge, stay with them. If you are allowed to take a small group independently of the whole class, get to know the children's names, make sure they know who you are and understand that they must stay with you.

Approximately 600 Bali Mynahs remain on Earth. This chick was hatched at the Las Vegas Zo in 2001
(Photograph courtesy of Steve Andrascik - LVRJ)

2
During the visit, it is very important that the children respect each other, the adults in their group, the other visitors to the zoo, and of course the animals. Remind the individuals in your group to treat the animals with the same respect they like to have.
3
Students are generally very excited on field trips. They often have a tendency to move too fast and the result is they may miss a lot of interesting animal behavior. Try to slow them down through the exhibits. Focus their energy by asking them observation questions about the animals they see.
4 Get them to sit down quietly and watch the animals when possible. Explain that many animals need to be camouflaged in their environment and encourage them to try to find the animals in all exhibits. (Some exhibits may be more challenging than others, such as in the Reptile Building.)
Some Generic Questions To Stimulate Observation, Thinking, And Discussion
All animals have the same basic needs in common: they must find food, water, shelter, and try to find a mate to produce offspring. Try the following questions:
 
  • What would it be like in the wild for these animals?
  • What kind of food do you think that animal eats in the wild?
  • Where do you think that animal lives in the wild?
  • How does it find its food?
  • What kind of animal might eat that animal?
Safety Of Students And Animals
1 The zoo is a peaceful haven for animals and people alike. Loud noises and running are upsetting to everyone.  We also ask that people do not chase the birds or tap on the glass. Tell your students that this is the animals only home and the animals need to feel safe here.
2 Please make sure the students know not to feed the animals or throw anything into their enclosures. The animals are fed special diets to maintain their good health.
3 The animals in the exhibits are wild.  They are not pets and most will bite.  Visitors should keep their hands out of the exhibits and should never throw anything at the animals.
4 Remind the students that they need to be aware of how their behavior effects each other, the animals and the other visitors.

5
Leaving the zoo with a souvenir can extend the child's experience, but remember that gift shop visits by school groups must be supervised.

 

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