Elementary Level Student Workshops

$7 per student plus admission Students participate in guided tours, cooperative activities and exciting discussions. Workshops are popular. Don't miss out - book early! (416) 392-5944

Grade 1 - Animal Movement

All aboard!  Come to the Zoo and witness the amazing ways that animals get where they need to go.  Students will explore how animals are able to walk, jump, crawl, fly, slither, and swing, by observing the animals and how they use these unique ways to move.

Grade 1 - Animal Senses

Why is smell so important to some animals?  Why do some animals see in colour while others do not?  Which animal has the keenest eyesight?  This workshop will encourage students to explore the fascinating ways animals sense the world around them.  Students will use their sense of smell, sight, and touch to understand special adaptations animals have that help them capture food, avoid predators, and communicate with each other.

Grade 2 - Life Cycles

How does a caterpillar undergo the transformation into a beautiful butterfly?  Students will explore the incredible changes animals go through from babies to adults and learn about the different types of parental care.  From the soft jelly eggs of frogs to the live births of cats, students will examine the stages of growth and learn of amazing and unique life cycles.

Grade 2 - Seasonal Change in Animals

Have your class explore astonishing physical and behavioural changes as animals adapt in response to the cold of winter or the heat of summer.  Join us for a close look at Arctic animals and their distinctive body coverings.  Visit some reptiles and learn how they spend the cold winter, and flock with the birds as they migrate south.

Grade 2 - Simple Classification

The world is full of diverse and unique animals, many that call the Toronto Zoo home.  Students will discover and learn to distinguish between vertebrate classes and invertebrates.  This fun workshop will have the class exploring the fascinating characteristics of furry mammals, scaly reptiles, feathery birds, slippery fish, smooth amphibians, and scuttling insects through animal tours and activities.

Grade 3 - Plant & Animal Relationships

Plants and animals depend on each other to survive and reproduce. Here’s your change to learn more about these unique “food factories” we call plants. Through various activities students will develop an understanding of how plants grow, what they need to survive, the many relationships they share with animals, and the influences that humans are having on their natural communities.

Grade 4 - Habitats and Human Influence on Habitats

Students can find thei niche within the Zoo community as they become familiar with different animal habitats including deserts, forests, ponds, Arctic ecosystems, swamps, and rainforests.  What is it that makes these habitats so special for the animals that live there and how do we as humans have an impact on them.

Grade 4 - Wetland Habitats and Communities
(Available May - June exclusively, no winter option)

Students will explore the many habitat elements of wetland communities for both plants and animals. They will also discover the importance of these habitats for the "ecological services" they provide for wildlife as well as human communities.

Grade 5 - Animal Digestive Systems

Sink your canines into this workshop and explore how different animals have special digestive strategies. Students will become familiar with the organs and other physical characteristics of monogastric herbivores, reminants, carnivores, omnivores, and birds, by examining and comparing their organ systems and how they relate to their diets.

Grade 6 - Biodiversity, Climate Change & the Human Connection with the Earth

Join us for an investigation of the natural world that surrounds us. In this program students will have the opportunity to explore the incredible variety of life on Earth and discover how all living things, including humans, are connected in a remarkable web of life. Students will learn about climate change and the effects it is having on our world’s biodiversity.

Grade 6 - Vertebrate Classification

Can it be true that some mammals lay eggs and that fish are not the only animals with gills? Your class will explore the fascinating diversity of the animal kingdom. Through discussions and animal observations students will learn to distinguish and define the characteristics of the five vertebrate classes.

Grade 7 - The Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem

Step into the tropics where students can explore the rainforest ecosystem and observe the interactions occurring between species. Students will be amazed by the diversity of life and learn to view the animals as producers, consumers, or decomposers in this fascinating ecosystem

Winter Time Workshops

Thinking of coming with your class in the winter, but worried about the weather? Never fear, all of these workshops offer indoor tours which can be substituted when its chilly outside or rainy. Our beautiful pavilions including the newly renovated Australasia Pavilion and Great Barrier Reef offer indoor, tropical getaways with lots of great plants and animals for you and your class to see and learn about.