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Field trips to the Zoo are available year round every day of the week.
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Field Trip Programs
Program 1: Close Encounters (Adaptations or Careers & Conservation)
Led by a Zoo Educator and aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, each session engages students through participatory activities and includes a memorable meet-and-greet with an animal ambassador.
Cost: $25 per program
Date: Monday-Friday, Sept 28-May 14
Capacity: 8-35 students per program, depending on availability.
*Schools that register for a Close Encounter are committed to a $25 per program fee, unless cancelled 48hrs before arrival to the Zoo.
Explore the fascinating world of animal adaptations in this interactive, educator-led program! Students will discover how physical features and behaviors help animals survive, thrive, and interact with their environments. Younger learners will identify adaptations and understand how they help animals survive in various habitats, while our older learners will dive deeper into the relationships between adaptations, species interactions, and their impact on survival.
Audience: PreK-8th grade.
Time: 10:45-11:15am, 11:30am-12:00pm, 1:00-1:30 (afternoon programs March-May only)
Did you know that you can help with conservation no matter where you work? Through this program, students will learn more about the conservation opportunities present in careers both inside and outside of the Zoo! Students will also get to meet an animal ambassador and learn about their conservation story.
Time: 11:30-12:15pm and 1-1:45 pm (afternoon programs March -May only)
Audience: 6th-12th grade.
Program 2: CREW Tours
Through advanced animal and plant research, CREW is leading the way to secure a positive future for endangered species. During this 30-minute guided tour of the CREW building, students will have the opportunity to see scientists in the labs and gain a better understanding of the science taking place every day, right here at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
Dates: Monday-Friday, year-round
Time: 10:15-10:45am, 11:15-11:45am, 12:15-12:45pm
Cost: $0 per program
Audience: students 7th grade-college. Max 15 participants per program.
Program 3: Sustainability Tour
Sustainability Tours introduce students to the sustainability and green practices that go on at the Zoo every day.
Cost: $25 per program
Dates: Monday – Friday, September 28 – November 20 and March 1 – March 19, between 9:30-11:30am
Capacity: Each date can accommodate up to two groups of 25 people with a required 1:10 ratio of adults to students.
School Events
Bon Voyage Birds!
Dates: Oct 8 & 9, 9:30am-noon
Join us to wish birds good luck on their journey south for the winter! Get banded like a bird, pick up your passport, and migrate through different stations around the Zoo to learn about how we can help migratory birds on their journey this fall. Participants who complete their migration passport will receive a limited-edition migratory bird trading card. This event is free with field trip admission and is open to all grades.
Planet Protector Day
Date: November 5, 10am-noon
From recycling to composting to gardening for wildlife, there are many ways we can be a planet protector! Learning stops throughout the Zoo will share how everyone can use their choices and voices to better coexist with local wildlife! This event is free with field trip admission but is best suited to 1st-5th grade.
School Self-Guided Activities
Get your students involved in learning while at the Zoo! These standards-based, multi-curricular activities are meant to be a la cart so teachers can choose which topics and subjects they want their students to explore. See how these activities align with Ohio’s state standards and NGSS.
Expand for more guided activities at the Zoo!
| Activity | Description | PreK-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-4th | 5th-6th | 7th-8th | 9th-12th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ani-Math | We can count and group animals that we see at the Zoo to help us practice our math skills. Become a math master with a little help from the Zoo animals. | X | |||||
| Animal Defense Skills | Animals inherit traits from their parents and ancestors that help them survive. | X | X | ||||
| Animal Inquiry (Guided) | We can make observations and create investigations about the animals at the Zoo. Students will practice the QUEST method of inquiry to answer a question about our Zoo animals. This activity guides students just learning the inquiry process from start to finish (includes specific habitats) | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Animal Inquiry (Open) | We can make observations and create investigations about the animals at the Zoo. Students will practice the QUEST method of inquiry to answer a question about our Zoo animals. For those already familiar with the inquiry process (includes suggested locations) | X | X | X | X | ||
| Brilliant Bird Bodies | Bird body parts are different shapes, colors, and sizes, and they function in different ways to help birds find and eat food, fly, walk, and swim. Students will compare bird body parts and their functions, as well as how some human objects are inspired by birds. | X | |||||
| Crazy Legs | We explore how legs are used by animals and count legs on animals at the Zoo to help us practice our math skills. Become math masters by counting and comparing different zoo animal’s crazy legs. | X | |||||
| Critters and Climate | The changes in our climate impact many habitats and the living things there. | X | X | ||||
| North American Natives | We share our continent with many diverse species which keep our ecosystems healthy, but non-native species and human activity may impact the health of ecosystems. Distinguish between native and non-native animals, and the roles of both in North American ecosystems. | X | X | ||||
| Pollinator-Palooza | Pollinators play an important role in the gardens at the Zoo. Students will make observations of pollinators in the gardens around the Zoo. | X | X | ||||
| Pollinator Party | Pollinators play an important role in the gardens at the Zoo. Students will make observations of pollinators in the gardens around the Zoo. | X | X | ||||
| Science of Survival I | Existing species have inherited traits from their ancestors that helped them to survive and reproduce. | X | X | ||||
| Science of Survival II | A habitat as well as traits inherited from previous generations influence the survival of species within those habitats. | X | X |
Classroom Resources for Teachers
There are thousands of wildlife and conservation organizations across the United States and around the world that are doing amazing work to conserve wildlife and wild places and educate the public.
Expand for more classroom activities!
| Resource | Description | Adaptations | Citizen Science | Training | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explore.org - Polar Bear Cam | Live webcam feed from Tundra Buggy Lodge in Churchill, Manitoba | |||||
| Polar Bears International - Tundra Connections | Educator resource of webcasts from Polar Bears International | |||||
| Project WILD | Educators can get trained on delivering interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education through field investigations, career connections, outdoor components, and classroom activities. | |||||
| ODNR Environmental Education | Environmental education resources from projects, to grants, to workshops, to databases, to research guides, etc. | |||||
| World Wildlife Fund Resources | Lots of resources for teachers and students from lessons to crafts to videos, etc. | |||||
| Audubon - Kids Website | Kids/students can learn more about bird species, adaptations, vocabulary, play interactive and educational games, etc. | |||||
| Cornell Lab of Ornithology K-12 | Resources for educators to connect students to nature, participate in citizen science, and conduct their own studies | |||||
| ODNR Stewardship and Citizen Science | ODNR's environmental projects that anyone can help with as well as resources for conducting one's own research or environmental management | |||||
| iNaturalist | Easy-to-use website and app for identifying species and sharing findings with others in your area; data could be used in actual research | |||||
| Zooniverse.org | Full of various citizen science activities, such as helping identify species spotted on webcams around the world; data could be used in actual research | |||||
| Don't Feed Wildlife (USDA) | USDA's reasons why you shouldn't feed wildlife | |||||
| Don't Feed Wildlife (Western Michigan University) | Western Michigan University's reasons why you shouldn't feed wildlife | |||||
| National Wildlife Federation - Garden for Wildlife at Schools | Tips/steps from the NWF on creating a wildlife-friendly area on school property | |||||
| National Wildlife Federation - Garden for Wildlife at Home | Tips/steps from the NWF on creating a wildlife-friendly backyard | |||||
| OSU Backyard Enhancement for Wildlife | Tips from OSU on how to create a wildlife-friendly backyard | |||||
| USDA Wildlife Habitat | Tips from the USDA on how to create an area in your yard that is wildlife friendly | |||||
| Audubon - Activities and DIY | Kid-friendly, educational activities and crafts that help students learn about local birds and other wildlife and that can benefit said wildlife | |||||
| Crash Course Kids - Life Science: Ecosystems and Flow of Energy (YouTube) | Brief video lessons that highlight important aspects of ecology in kid-friendly terms | |||||
| Crash Course Videos - Ecology, Evolution & Genetics, Zoology (YouTube) | Better for older students; brief video lessons highlighting the most important aspects of the given topic (videos are on ALL subjects but I recommend the Ecology, Evolution & Genetics, and Zoology videos) | |||||
| SciShow Kids - Awesome Animals (YouTube) | Kid-friendly educational videos regarding many different species and their adaptations or behaviors | |||||
| Explore.org | Live webcams of all kinds of species all over the world. This website also organizes Katmai NP's Fat Bear Week. | |||||
| Cincinnati Parks - Backyard Bird Feeding | Naturalist shares tips for backyard bird feeding on their FB page | |||||
| Explorer Mindset | This resource, as well as the Explorer Mindset App, are inspired by the Learning Framework, created by National Geographic Education by educators, National Geographic staff, and child development experts. | |||||
| National Geographic - Online Courses for Educators | Professional development opportunities for formal and informal educators | |||||
| National Wildlife Federation - Lesson Plans and Webinars | Lesson plans and webinars by the NWF organized by topic and grade level, and align with the National Science Education Standards | |||||
| Cincinnati Zoo - Field Conservation Initiatives | Comprehensive list of all of the Zoo's field (in-situ) conservation initiatives | |||||
| Cincinnati Zoo's Build a Better Home For Wildlife campaign | Local/native species conservation initiatives and coexistence strategies for the public | |||||
| USDA Conservation Education Educator Toolbox | Resources for educators organized by grade bands to help bring conservation education to their classrooms | |||||
| USDA Conservation Education Student Corner | Resources for students to learn about forests and grasslands, how to get involved in citizen science, learn about forestry careers, etc. Fun activities can be downloaded as well. | |||||
| Cincinnati Zoo - Teacher Connections Crafts and Activities (Pinterest) | Pinterest boards containing different crafts, activities, and learning resources for teachers, organized by topic | |||||
| PBS Kids - Nature Games | Play games connected to different PBS Kids shows (such as Wild Kratts) to learn about nature, from animal adaptations to composting. | |||||
| National Zoo - Habitat Webcams | Live video feeds of some of the animals at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. |