Curriculum Content

Nursery schools

Let’s look at animals

We study animal’s colours and patterns, texture, movement, food habits and key features.

• Let children explore the natural world around them.
• Inspire a lifelong interest in wildlife.

Key Stage 1

Summer Discovery Session

The world around us: Animals - where do they live? 

Pupils will appreciate the basic needs of animals: shelter, food, water and discover the diversity of homes and habitats that animals have become adapted to. Through the use of images, bio-facts and close observation of live animals, the children will discover the variety of animal homes and habitats and how the animals are adapted to live in those habitats by camouflage, hibernation and migration. Habitat loss, destruction and conservation of local habitats will be discussed. 

Interdependence

• The variety of living things in the world and how we can take care of them.

Place

• How animals adapt to their natural environment.
• Animals that hibernate and the materials they use.

Movement and energy

• Where do people and animals move it?
• Animals that migrate.

Change over time

• Changes in the local natural environment and how they can affect living things.

• Understand the basic needs of animals.
• Learn that animals live in a variety of different homes and habitats.
• Discover how animals have adapted to live in different habitats.
• Recognise that human activities are changing habitats.
• Consider how we can protect animals under threat.

Key Stage 1

Saver and Enhanced Discovery Session

The world around us: home and habitats 

Pupils will discover that there is a large variety of habitats. They will investigate what animals need to live: food, shelter, a safe place to live. Pupils will be introduced to a range of animals, establish the essentials for an animal to survive and flourish in its own niche and look at the range of habitats that animals are found in. 

Interdependence

• The basic needs of animals to survive, including a home, and the relationship between their life and the wide range of habitats in which they are found.

Place

• How animals are adapted or change to live in an environment which meets the demands of their survival requirements and physical adaptations.

• Discover the difference between a habitat and a home.
• Understand what a habitat must provide for comfortable living: a safe home, places to hide, good food source.
• Explore the different habitats animals live in and what they provide.

Key Stage 1

Saver and Enhanced Discovery Session

The world around us: sorting animals

Pupils will realise that there are many ways we can put animals into groups. They will be introduced to different types of animal. Through the use of images and close observation of live animals, the children will sort animals into groups using different methods including colour, movement and habitat. 

Interdependence 

• The variety of living things in the world.

Place

• How animals use colour to adapt to their natural environment.

• Discover there is a wide variety of animals.
• Understand some of the many ways that animals can be grouped together.

Key Stage 2

Summer Discovery Session

The world around us: in danger! 

Pupils will discover that animals are endangered, the reason for the problems and what we can do to help endangered animals.

Interdependence

• How people’s actions can affect many animals in environments close by, and throughout the world.
• The importance of living a lifestyle that allows us to live in harmony with all the animals we find throughout the world.

Change Over Time

• The changes that have taken place on a worldwide scale, what are the drivers behind the change and the consequences for many different animals.

• Discover that many animals are endangered.

• Understand how human activity is increasing the problem

• Recognise the role of zoos in conservation

• Realise the role we can all play in conservation

Key Stage 2

Saver and Enhanced Discovery Session

The world around us: variety of life

Pupils will discover, through close observation, the range of animal diversity within the animal kingdom and ways of classification. This is an introduction to different types and classification of animals. The children get to observe at close quarters, examples of an invertebrate and several different vertebrates and look at body covering, breathing, and breeding as characteristics. Other ways of grouping, e.g. by diet (carnivore, herbivore etc.) are also introduced. Children are presented with different animals (real, pictures, bio-facts) and asked to use their knowledge to sort into groups. 

Interdependence

• The variety of living things in the world.

Place

• Animals that hibernate.

Movement and Energy

• Animals that migrate.

• Recognise that there is a wide diversity of animal life on Earth.

• Discover that animals have some characteristics in common and some features that are different.

• Use these features to acquire knowledge of a vast range of different species in the animal kingdom.

• Understand that grouping helps us make sense of animal life.

• Identify key characteristics and sort animals into groups.

Key Stage 2

Summer Discovery Session

The world around us: rainforest explorer 

Discover the amazing diversity of life in the rainforest and explore our relationship with it. 

Interdependence

• The interdependence of plants, animals and people in the environment.
• How people effect the environment over time.
• How place influences animal life.

Place

• Positive and negative effects on habitats and environment as a result of behaviour and demands.
• The influence of the environment on nature.
• How animals adapt and survive in the environments. 

Movement and Energy

• Why animals move
• Causes that affect the movement of animals

Change Over Time

• How to make change.
• The responsibility of society to global issues.
• The consequences of change.

• Examine the structure of rainforests and where they are found.

• Discover the wide range of diversity in the rainforest.

• Explore the relationship between humans and the environment.

•-Understand what can be done to help protect wildlife and the environment.

Key Stage 3

Summer Discovery Session

The world around us: conservation challenge

Discussion on a conservation problem on a national or international scale, working as a group and suggesting a conservation programme to halt or reverse the problem. The students will identify a range of animals and habitats under threat. Each group will choose a topic such as: the trade in wild animals, hunting, monocrops etc, discuss the problem and its potential solution. in groups and then with the whole class. 

Developing pupils as Individuals

• Identify how skills developed through this study will be useful to a wide range of careers, jobs involving animal welfare, ICT or conservation work at both graduate and vocational level.

Developing pupils as Contributors to the Economy and the Environment

• Pupils have the opportunity to explore the importance of the range of animals in the animal kingdom, how they add to biodiversity and their impact on our lives.

• Understand some of the major conservation issues of the 21st century.

• Explore the interdependence of human activity and the environment.

Key Stage 3

Saver or Enhanced Discovery Session

The world around us: diversity of life (Classification)

Students look in detail at classification of vertebrates and at a selection of invertebrates Students will explore the similarities and differences of a range of vertebrate and invertebrate animals and discover the features that will allow them to classify the animals into groups. 

Developing pupils as Individuals

• Pupils have the opportunity to respect and co-operate with others in the process of scientific enquiry on classification of animals, explore the complexity, diversity and interdependence of living things.

Developing pupils as Contributors to Society

• Pupils have an opportunity to consider how the development of scientific ideas or theories relate to historical; scientific data or cultural fact

Developing pupils as Contributors to the Economy and the Environment

• Pupils have the opportunity to explore the importance of the range of animals in the animal kingdom, how they add to biodiversity and their impact on our lives through the uses of those animals for food, medicine etc

• Discover the features that will allow them to classify the five vertebrate groups.

• Understand the similarities and differences of a range of invertebrate animals.

• Classify a range of live animals by observing these features and characteristics.

Key Stage 4

Saver or Enhanced Discovery Session

Leisure, travel, tourism and customer care

Through discussion, students will realise the roles of Belfast Zoo and its staff. They will explore the need for good customer service for both internal and external customers and how this is achieved in both the public and private sectors.

Developing pupils as Individuals

• Communicating meaning, feelings and viewpoints in a logical and coherent manner.
• Participating in discussions and debate.
• Listening actively to others and influence group thinking and decision-making, taking account of others’ opinions.

• Discover the main roles of Belfast Zoo.
• Identify the zoo’s external and internal customer base.
• Explore the need for good customer service in the zoo.
• Identify the benefits and disadvantages of public and private sector
• Establish the main health and safety concerns in the zoo.

Further and Higher Education

Business Studies or Leisure tourism

The zoo is the perfect business for your students to use as a case study to base their research on. Your class can find out what it takes to successfully run one of Northern Ireland’s oldest and leading visitor attractions.

Tailored to ensure your visit to the zoo meets your specific learning objectives.

Further and Higher Education

Psychology

What's better than the chance to observe the behaviours of more than 130 species? We can make your learning come to life outside of the classroom as students can learn more about communications, group dynamics and animal intelligence through direct observation.

Tailored to ensure your visit to the zoo meets your specific learning objectives.