Primary Education Kit

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1 Primary Education Kit

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11 Wild Planet Animal Explorers Stage 1 Classes should be divided into small groups with an adult leader. Each group will require: A camera (e.g. iphone) to record your discoveries A copy of the exhibition floorplan Here are some suggested activities you could do with your group in the Wild Planet exhibition. 1. Conversation Starters There are ten Green Elephant signs around the exhibition. These can be read aloud and used as conversation starters. 2. Touch Stations Explore the four Touch Stations in Sections A, B and E. Ask the students to describe and compare each sample. How are they different to each other? What do they tell us about each animal? 3. Activities Try out some of the Animal Explorer activities below! Activity 1: Comparing Animals and Myself Look around at all the different types of animals. 1. Find 3 parts or features of animals that you also have (Hint: legs, eyes, ears). Describe how they are similar or different to yours. 2. Find 3 animal features that you do not have (Hint: feathers, wings, tail). What do animals use these features for? 3. If you could have any animal feature, what would you choose? Why? 4. When you reach the Touch Stations, compare the skins, teeth and feet to your own. Are they like yours? Would you like to have one of these skins, teeth or feet?

12 Activity 2: Animal Size 1. Find two large animals standing on four legs (Look in Section B or E). 2. Measure their length using only your feet which one is longer? 3. What do animals use their large size for? (hunting, travelling, fighting?) Activity 3: Body Coverings Try this activity in Section A, E (aardvark case) or F (burrow) 1. Look at the different types of animals. 2. What sort of body covering does each have e.g. feathers, scales, fur? 3. Use the table below to decide what animal group they belong to. Body Covering Hair or fur Feathers Dry scaly skin Smooth moist skin Wet scales and fins Hard skin or shell (insect, sea star, snail) Animal Group Mammals Birds Reptiles Amphibians Fish Invertebrates (no backbone) Activity 4: Animals Around the World 1. Find out where some of the animals in Wild Planet are from using this map. North America Europe Africa Asia South America Australia

13 Wild Planet Creature Features Stage 2 Get your team together and try these Wild Planet activities Remember to take some photos of your favourite animals. 1. Get hands-on! Explore the four Touch Stations to investigate animal feet, teeth and real animal body coverings. 2. Start a conversation! Look out for the Green Elephant signs. Read them to find out more about the animals. 3. Do some activities! Use your teamwork to complete the activities below. Activity 1: All Mixed Up Animals can be sorted into groups using their body covering. Try this activity at one end of Wild Planet in either Section A (near the small elephant) or Section F (in the burrow). 1. Look at each animal and its body covering. 2. Which animal group do you think it belongs to? Use the table to help you decide. 3. Find an animal from each group. 4. Which group do you belong to? 5. Compare real animal skins at the Touch Stations in Sections A (near the small elephant) and Section E (near the giraffe). Body Covering Hair or fur Feathers Dry scaly skin Smooth moist skin Wet scales and fins Hard or shell e.g. insect, snail or Soft-bodied (e.g. slug) Animal Group Mammals Birds Reptiles Amphibians Fish Invertebrates (no backbone)

14 Activity 2: Feature Search The different parts of an animal feet, tail, wings are called its features. 1. Can you find an animal with: Cat features a long tail and body, fur, paws (and claws), maybe whiskers. (Look in Section B or E) Horse features hooves, mane of hair along its long neck, long face, tail with hair. (Look in Section E) 2. Predators use their features to hunt other animals (prey). Do you think cats or horses are predators? Why? (Hint: Think about what they eat). Discover more animal features at the teeth and feet Touch Stations (Sections B and E) Activity 3: Animals Around the World Use the map to find out where some animals in the exhibition are from. North America Europe Africa Asia South America Australia Activity 4 Challenge Questions 1. Why can t some birds fly? Find an emu, penguin or cassowary (Section A, C, E) and try to work out why it can t fly. (Hint: Compare it with a bird that can fly size, wings, tail, legs and feet) 2. How can we compare animal sizes with no measuring equipment? Find two large animals standing on four legs. Compare their length using only your feet. How could you use your body to measure (or estimate) their height?

15 Super Size (Section E - Giraffe) Super heroes use their size to FIGHT! So do animals, but they also use it for hunting, travelling long distances and protection. Activities 1. Select two large animals and compare their size. Use your body to measure them. Do you need to estimate height? 2. Why are they so big? (to hunt, fight, run, travel?) 3. What do you think they eat? Use the teeth touch station to help you decide. Can you find animals that might be their predators or prey? Wild Planet Animal Super Powers Stage 3 What super powers do you wish you had? Flying Seeing in the dark Invisibility Armour Secret weapons Super strength Night Vision (Section F - burrow) Nocturnal animals hide by day, and have super powered eyes specially adapted for finding their food at night. Activities 1. Can you find a nocturnal mammal, bird and insect? 2. Where do they live in a tree, burrow or den? Why? 3. Is each a predator or prey? How do you know? Don t miss the Extinction case near the burrow. What extinct animals do you know? Do you recognise any of these animals? Animals have many of these abilities to help them move, catch prey, find food, protect themselves and look after their young. These survival features are called Adaptations. 1. Do some activities! Look inside for some Animal Super Powers Activities. 2. Get hands-on! Explore the four Touch Stations. North America Europe Asia 3. Take a self-guided tour! Look for the Green Elephant signs. South America Africa Australia Don t forget to take photos of your favourite animals! Use this map to check where your favourite animals are from.

16 Animal Super Powers Activities Invisibility (Section A) Animals can t disappear like some super heroes, but they can hide by blending into their surroundings using CAMOUFLAGE! Activities 1. Find two animals that use colour or pattern for camouflage. What might their habitat look like? (to help them disappear ) 2. Find the emus. Why is the chick striped? 3. Think about how other animals use their habitat to blend in at the Body Coverings touch station. Look in other sections for camouflage patterns, shapes and colours. Wings (Section A, C, E) Animals don t have a cape, but some have WINGS which they use to fly, reach food, escape predators, travel long distances and stay warm! Activities 1. Find an emu, penguin or cassowary and try to work out why it can t fly. (Hint: Compare it with a bird that can fly compare their size, feathers, wings, legs and feet). How does it travel? 2. Find a flying insect (Section A or D) and compare its wings with your flying bird. What is the difference in the way each flies? Look in other sections at animal wings (including bats - Section F). Super Strength (Section B) Like super heroes, animals use their strength to FIGHT, but it also comes in handy for digging up food and moving large obstacles! Activities 1. Choose two large animals. What is their strength used for? Does it help them find food? 2. Who do you think would win if they battled? Why? 3. Look at the feet touch station. How are they different? Which two feet look like they belong to large, strong animals? Look in other sections for animals with super strength. Weapons & Armour (Section E) Super heroes battle with weapons and shields. Animals use armour (shields) and weapons (claws, teeth, venom) for attack and defence. Activities 1. Find an animal with a weapon what is it used for? 2. Find an animal with armour what does it look like? 3. Find a tooth weapon and skin armour at the touch stations. Find these two animals - who would win if they battled? Why? Look in other sections for animals with weapons and armour. Don t miss the small armoured mammal near the hippo. Where is it from?