STEM Education for Kids at Title 1 Schools

The Oregon Zoo’s ZooSchool program kicked off in mid-September with the new school year. Two outreach educators are trained and presenting the programming to Title 1 classes. The program offers students the opportunity to engage with zoo educators, participate in interactive activities and observe live animals first-hand. The lesson plan is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and Oregon Social Studies Standards.

The 3^rd Grade curriculum focuses on life cycles. The students examine the fascinating life cycles of some amazing animals. They play an interactive game to discover how the Oregon Zoo is using information about an animal’s life cycle to protect the endangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly.

The Oregon Zoo continues efforts to bring ZooSchool to 3^rd Grade Title 1 schools in Oregon. Over 50% of eligible schools have been able to register for the program thus far. Our goal is to make these impactful field trips accessible to many more students.  A local school teacher shares, “We serve families who are underprivileged.  85% of our school is on free or reduced lunch.  That number grows every year.  Our district has a wide variety of diversity.  There are over 70 different languages represented in our district. On behalf of our third grade team, we would like to provide this experience for our students.” As a Global Giving donor, you are a key partner in providing this experience for students who otherwise would not be able to participate – thank you!