WPZ Education: Teacher Development

Teacher Workshops

Fall-Winter 2008
All workshops are open to educators of all grades, including pre-service teachers.

Advance registration by fax or mail is required for the workshops. Please use this downloadable Teacher Workshops Application Form. Obtaining these online forms requires the free Adobe Acrobat reader. If you do not have Acrobat Reader....get it here

Thanks to grant funding and funding from the King County Parks Levy, these teacher professional development opportunities are offered at minimal cost to teachers. The workshops are held at Woodland Park Zoo and include presentations, tours, discussions and hands-on activities.

For more information about these teacher workshops, please call 206.548.2424.

Educators’ Open House
For teachers and their families!

When: Saturday, September 27, 2008 - 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: Woodland Park Zoo
Cost: Free to teachers, includes zoo admission (family members must pay regular zoo admission)
RSVP requested; please call 206.548.2424 to RSVP

Attention all educators! Learn about the variety of education programs available to you and your students, meet one of the zoo’s birds of prey up close and enjoy a day at the zoo with your family! Join us for demonstrations of our school programs and tips on planning your school visit. Educational opportunities will be available for families. Refreshments will be provided!

Advance registration by fax or mail is required for the workshops. Please use this downloadable Teacher Workshops Application Form. If you experience difficulty opening/downloading the form you can get the free software here.

Backyard Habitat Workshop

Dates for this four-part workshop:
Mondays, September 22, 29 and October 6, 2008 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 11, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

This workshop is for the general public, but teachers are encouraged to attend for your own personal interest or if you are interested in starting a schoolyard habitat.

A "backyard habitat" can be a small space, schoolyard or community garden. You’ll meet experts and get hands-on experience that will show you how to:

Attract birds, butterflies and other wildlife to your backyard, select and care for native plants, recognize and remove invasive plant species, conserve water, manage your backyard without the use of chemical, herbicides and pesticides, place feeders and bird houses, have your backyard certified as a Backyard Habitat

Please join Woodland Park Zoo, the National Wildlife Federation, the Seattle Audubon Society, and the Washington Native Plant Society for a three-part workshop on creating a backyard wildlife habitat.

Cost: $75 per person ($140 per couple).
Clock hours: (11) will be available for $2/clock hour.

Forests: Temperate and Tropical
Saturday, October 18, 2008 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

Most appropriate for grades K-9

Take this opportunity to learn more about forests of the world! This workshop will focus on the plants, animals and natural history of Pacific Northwest temperate forests and tropical forests of Central and South America. Participants will take part in classroom and outdoor activities that can help students to understand and appreciate forests as well as take action to protect biodiversity.

Cost: $10 materials fee.
Clock hours: (7) will be available.
Application due date: Monday, September 22, 2008.

Felids: Cats of the World
Saturday, December 6, 2008 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

Most appropriate for grades K-8

What makes a cat a cat? How many species of felines exist in the wild and how do they survive? How many species of big cats are there are where do they live in the world? Join us to learn about the exciting world of cats, enrichment programs here at the zoo and our conservation efforts abroad. This workshop will examine the physical and behavioral characteristics of felines, as well as the roles they play in the various ecosystems they inhabit.

Cost: $10 materials fee.
Clock hours: (7) will be available.
Application due date: Monday, November 3, 2008.

For more information, contact the zoo’s Travel Program at 206.548.2509 or email judy.benvenuti@zoo.org