School Programs

Grade Level: K - 2 Length: 45 minutes
What makes something alive? How do we know that a snake is a living creature, but a rock isn't? In this class, students will explore the factors of life by comparing and contrasting living and non-living things.

Grade Level: K – 2, Length: 30 minutes
Can you imagine what it would be like to use your tongue to smell with? To taste with your feet? In this 30-minute class we will explore the vast world of animal senses, and learn how animals use them to navigate their environment.

Grade Level: K – 2, Length: 30 minutes
During this 30-minute class students will explore key features of habitats and what makes different habitats special for animals. What do animals need from their habitats in order to survive? How do habitats provide for those needs? We will also discuss how to protect habitats and amazing animals that call them home!

Grade Level: 3 - 5, Length: 45 minutes
In this 45-minute program, students will explore the different worlds animals call home and learn how they have grown to survive and interact within that environment. Additionally, students will learn about the challenges ecosystems face and the impact this has on the animals that live there.

Grade Level: 5 – 8, Length: 45 minutes
Explore ways animals are adapted to survive in their home environments. Students will examine ‘biofacts’ (such as feathers, skeletons, skulls and shells), make observations about similarities and differences and hypothesize about why. They will also meet an animal ambassador and discuss its adaptations. Bring your students to integrate real world examples with classroom learning.

This MCAS-aligned program can be accommodated for 4th – 8th grade.

Grade Level: 6 - 8, Length: 60 minutes
Location: Franklin Park Zoo
In this class, students will take on the role of animal investigator and help solve the mystery of which animal attacked the zebra. They will learn common animal behaviors and discover how different predators hunt their prey in different ways.

Grade Level: 8 - 10, Length: 60 minutes
Location: Franklin Park Zoo
How do species survive for millions of years? In this class, students will take on the role of a species and see if they have what it takes to make it through a changing environment. Students will learn how genetic variation within a population leads to greater success in their overall species survival.

Grade Level: 9 – 12, Length: 60 minutes
It takes a lot more than zookeepers to run a zoo. This 60-minute class helps students identify various zoo careers ranging from those that work in close contact with animals, to other important careers within a zoo. Students will recognize the progression of academic training and develop an understanding behind volunteering and the importance of service in the zoo field.

Grade Level: 9 - 12, Length: 45 minutes
Location: Franklin Park Zoo
In what ways does the Zoo contribute to conservation efforts? In this class, students will take on the role of conservationists and help endangered animals that can be found right here in Massachusetts.

Grade Level: 9 - 12, Length: 45 minutes
Location: Franklin Park Zoo
What goes into creating diets for our animals here at the Zoo? How do we know how much to feed them and how often? In this class, students will learn about the diets of exotic animals, as well as prepare a diet for some of our animals here at the Zoo.

Grade Level: 9 - 12, Length: 45 minutes
How do we prepare animals for veterinary visits? How do we develop relationships with animals that we can't directly communicate with? In this class, students will learn about the strategies keepers use to properly care for animals at the zoo.