Bring the Wonders of the World to your Classroom!
Individual classrooms can experience fun, enriching and interactive learning experiences with live animal encounters. All programs are based on academic standards with pre and post activities available below!
Schools must be within a 30 mile driving distance of the Zoo and the cost is $35/ classroom. Payment is due 2 weeks prior to the program.
Because individual contact with the animals is an important part of this program, presentations are available only to individual classrooms of 30 
students or less.
Be sure to schedule programs well in advance as dates fill quickly. We schedule many programs for schools across the tri-state. Check in with the teachers at your school and see if a Frisch's Program is already scheduled for your location. We are happy to do multiple programs in one day.
To cancel or reschedule a Frisch's Outreach program you must contact us at least 30 days prior to the program. Last minute cancellations will result in a $35 cancellation fee. If you must cancel or change your outreach program please Click Here> or call 513-559-7767 option 5.
Registrations accepted year round. Programs fill quickly so register early.
Questions or to register contact Frisch's Outreach at (513) 475-6152 or email frischs.outreach@cincinnatizoo.org
Who can participate?
- Preschool*- 12th grade
- Schools which are located within a 30-mile driving distance from the Zoo.
- Because of the interactive nature of our program, we can accommodate no more than 30 students per group.
When are Frisch's Outreach Programs available?
- Monday- Friday, September- May, during regular school hours.
How much are Frisch's Outreach Programs?
- $35.00 per individual classroom of 30 students or less.
- Payment is due 2 weeks prior to the program. One total payment per program required. Individual checks per student will not be accepted.
- Last minute cancellations will result in a $35 cancellation fee.
What topics are available?
PreK-K
*Pre-K is for 3-5 year olds only.
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Animals in Winter | Burr! It's cold outside! Investigate how animals meet the challenges of winter survival. Pre & Post activities > |
| Animal "Tales" | Enjoy a wild story, and uncover the many extraordinary reasons why animals have tails.Pre & Post activities > |
| Animal Senses |
Enter the world of the animals by listening, touching, smelling, and seeing. Find out how our five sensational senses compare to those of our animal friends! Pre & Post activities > |
| Growing up Wild | From the egg or the womb, we all have a lot of growing up to do! Uncover the secrets of life by exploring how different animals develop. Pre & Post activities > |
| Habitat, Sweet Habitat |
Everybody needs a home! Explore different habitats while finding out how they meet animals' needs for survival. Pre & Post activities > |
| Sorting Species | Hone your observation and sorting skills by classifying animals. Discover the world of our scaly, furry, and feathered friends! Pre & Post activities > |
| Walking with the Wild Ones | Animal Locomotion: Let's get moving like kangaroos, snakes, and cheetahs! Explore how we can use our bodies to move like our wild neighbors.Pre & Post activities > |
| We're Likeable | Have you ever felt misunderstood? Even some animals get the wrong end of the stick. Meet them to discover how wonderfully likeable they really are! Pre & Post activities > |
|
What Did You Say? |
Can snakes speak? Can chickens chat? Can turtles tell? Do skunks discuss? Animals use lots of ways to communicate with each other and with us! Discover the secrets of how animals tell all about themselves and their wild ways! Pre & Post activities > |
| Z is for Zoo | Investigate the alphabet while creating phonemic awareness in your classroom. Listen for the many sounds of the Zoo! Pre & Post activities > |
1-3rd Grade
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Animals in Winter | Burr! It's cold outside! Investigate how animals meet the challenges of winter survival.Pre & Post activities > |
| Amazing Adaptations | How can animals meet the challenges of survival? Find out just how adaptable animals really are! Pre & Post activities > |
| Classification | Compare and contrast differing species by sorting and classifying. Discover more about our furry, scaly, feathered, or invertebrate friends. Pre & Post activities >
Also available as a series. If choosing to participate in a series pick from one or more of the following topics: Mammals-Pre & Post activities >Birds-Pre & Post activities >Insects & their Relatives-Pre & Post activities >Reptiles & Amphibians-Pre & Post activities > |
| Creepy, But Cool! | Meet animals that some people feel are just too CREEPY! Take a closer look to discover how cool they really are. Pre & Post activities > |
| Habitat, Sweet Habitat | Everybody needs a home! Explore different habitats while finding out how they meet animals' needs for survival. Pre & Post activities >
Also available as a series. If choosing to participate in a series pick from one or more of the following topics: Rainforests-Pre & Post activities >Wetlands-Pre & Post activities >Eastern Woodlands-Pre & Post activities > |
|
Inquiry 101 |
Begin your learning journey though Inquiry. Using your natural curiosity and the Process of Science you will observe, question, hypothesize, collect data, and share an exciting Inquiry experience with visiting Zoo animals.
*Three successive weekly sessions are required for this learning experience. Participants will also need to complete some Inquiry Tasks outside of the times the Zoo Instructor is present in the classroom. Session 1:Pre & Post activities >Session 2:Pre & Post activities >Session 3:Pre & Post activities > |
| KICIN' Project Learning |
KICIN’ (Kids Initiating Change In Nature) Project Learning Through teamwork your class will investigate needs in nature close by. Our Outreach Instructor will help facilitate the beginning stages of this place based guided inquiry. The KICIN’ (Kids Initiating Change In Nature) Project provides a supportive framework for your students to initiate, and carry out cooperatively, a project they consider important! Group reflection, assessment and celebration are highlights to this project’s success. Your students can make a difference in the natural world! *Participants will need to complete KICIN’ Project Tasks outside of the time the Outreach Instructor is present in the classroom. |
| Wild Art | Sketch a skink, draw a Dumeril's Ground Boa, sculpt a snake, paint a parrot! Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo instructor and create a masterpiece from a not-so "still life" observation. Through close examination and tactile encounters you can create Wild Art in your classroom with visiting Zoo animals as your subjects! We bring the zoo animals you provide the art materials!...how wildly creative you are! Pre & Post activities > |
| Wildlife Neighbors | Meet some of our native animals; learn from their past to discover what their future may hold. Pre & Post activities > |
| What's for Dinner? | From carnivores to herbivores, decomposers to omnivores, find out what's on the menu for many types of animals in the food web. Pre & Post activities > |
|
What Did You Say? |
Can snakes speak? Can chickens chat? Can turtles tell? Do skunks discuss? Animals use lots of ways to communicate with each other and with us! Discover the secrets of how animals tell all about themselves and their wild ways! Pre & Post activities > |
|
Wild Writing! |
Write wildly about wonderful Zoo animals! Pen a poem, a narrative, a persuasive essay, a letter, or a report after visiting with live Zoo animals in your classroom! Through close examination and tactile encounters with the animals you can enrich your writing experience. Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo Instructor and the Zoo animals for a Wild Writing experience! You determine the writing form, provide the writing materials, and then explore how to write wildly! Pre & Post activities > |
4-6th Grade
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Amazing Adaptations | How can animals meet the challenges of survival? Find out how truly adaptable animals really are! Pre & Post activities > |
|
Biodiversity |
Discover the unique and rich variety of life in our natural world. See how the differences in plants and animals work together in a healthy ecosystem. Pre & Post activities > |
| Classification | Try your hand at classifying some animals! Discover similarities and differences among varying classes and species.
Also available as a series.If choosing to participate in a series pick from one or more of the following topics: Mammals-Pre & Post activities >Birds-Pre & Post activities >Amphibians and Reptiles-Pre & Post activities >Insects & their Relatives-Pre & Post activities > |
| Inquiry 101 | Begin your learning journey though Inquiry. Using your natural curiosity and the Process of Science you will observe, question, hypothesize, collect data, and share an exciting Inquiry experience with visiting Zoo animals.
*Three successive weekly sessions are required for this learning experience. Participants will also need to complete some Inquiry Tasks outside of the times the Zoo Instructor is present in the classroom. Session 1: Pre & Post activities > Session 2: Pre & Post activities > Session 3: Pre & Post activities > |
| Rainforests | Uncover the secrets of the abundant life found in one of the most diverse habitats. Did you touch something from the rainforest today? Pre & Post activities > |
| KICIN' Project Learning |
KICIN’ (Kids Initiating Change In Nature) Project Learning Through teamwork your class will investigate the needs of nature in your community. Our Outreach Instructor will help facilitate the beginning stages of this place based guided inquiry. The KICIN’ (Kids Initiating Change In Nature) Project provides a supportive framework for your students to initiate, and carry out cooperatively, a project they consider important! Group reflection, assessment and celebration are highlights to this project’s success. Your students can make a difference in the natural world! *Participants will need to complete KICIN’ Project Tasks outside of the time the Outreach Instructor is present in the classroom. |
|
Talk It Up! |
Explore how animals "talk it up"! Discover all of the ways animals communicate with each other and with us! What are they saying about their wild world? Pre & Post activities > |
| Wild Art | Sketch a skink, draw a Dumeril's Ground Boa, sculpt a snake, paint a parrot! Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo instructor and create a masterpiece from a not-so "still life" observation. Through close examination and tactile encounters you can create Wild Art in your classroom with visiting Zoo animals as your subjects! We bring the zoo animals you provide the art materials!...how wildly creative you are! Pre & Post activities > |
|
Wild Writing! |
Write wildly about wonderful Zoo animals! Pen a poem, a narrative, a persuasive essay, a letter, or a report after visiting with live Zoo animals in your classroom! Through close examination and tactile encounters with the animals you can enrich your writing experience. Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo Instructor and the Zoo animals for a Wild Writing experience! You determine the writing form, provide the writing materials, and then explore how to write wildly! Pre & Post activities > |
7-12th Grade
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Amazing Adaptations | How can animals meet the challenges of survival? Find out how truly adaptable animals really are! Standards & Resources> |
|
Animal Communication |
Explore the fascinating way animals communicate. Discover the secrets of how animals will use communication to survive in our wild world. Standards & Resources> |
|
Biodiversity |
Discover the unique and rich variety of life in our natural world. See how the differences in plants and animals work together in a healthy ecosystem. Standards & Resources> |
| Predator-Prey Relationship | Predators and prey play starring roles in the food web. Find out how they impact the transfer of energy throughout our ecosystems. Standards & Resources> |
| Saving Species |
Through this service learning project, your class will learn how to incorporate teamwork while working positively with others towards a common goal. This project helps boost students self-worth and self-esteem by incorporating conservation action into the classroom and learning that anyone can make a difference. Help us answer the call of the wild and start a cell phone recycling, Saving Species campaign in your school today. Learn More> about this project and how your school can compete to win $5,000 cash prize Standards & Resources> |
| Zoo Careers | This program investigates the different types of jobs it takes to run the zoo, from driving the train to caring for the animals. Standards & Resources> |
| Wild Art | Sketch a skink, draw a Dumeril's Ground Boa, sculpt a snake, paint a parrot! Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo instructor and create a masterpiece from a not-so "still life" observation. Through close examination and tactile encounters you can create Wild Art in your classroom with visiting Zoo animals as your subjects! We bring the zoo animals you provide the art materials!.. .how wildly creative you are! Standards & Resources> |
|
Wild Writing! |
Write wildly about wonderful Zoo animals! Pen a poem, a narrative, a persuasive essay, a letter, or a report after visiting with live Zoo animals in your classroom! Through close examination and tactile encounters with the animals you can enrich your writing experience. Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo Instructor and the Zoo animals for a Wild Writing experience! You determine the writing form, provide the writing materials, and then explore how to write wildly! Standards & Resources> |
More opportunities
Schools don't forget there is nothing like a Field Trip to the Zoo or an overnight. Frisch's Outreach programs make great pre-visit activities! Schedule one today.
Interested in bringing the Zoo to a an after hours school event or party. We do that too. Learn more about the Wildlife Comes to You program.
90-Second Naturalist 
