Behind the Scenes at the Zoo: Year 12 Biology
A trip to the zoo is a great outing for anyone, and our Year 12 Biology students are no exception. For the girls and their teachers, an excursion to Perth Zoo last Thursday provided a behind-the-scenes experience with some of Perth’s most extraordinary animals.
The Year 12 Biology excursion is an annual event that provides students with the opportunity to experience curriculum concepts first-hand.
A series of talks and close encounters with zoo residents encourages students to understand the complexity of living organisms, connecting what they have learned in the classroom to the world around them.
During the excursion, students directly observe homeostatic mechanisms such as thermoregulation while gaining a deeper understanding of the principles of evolution.
The forecast of a 100% chance of rain did little to dampen our students’ enthusiasm, and upon arrival, we were greeted by a window of sunshine that lasted until we left.
A key highlight for our students was the opportunity to experience one of Perth Zoo’s most popular and life-changing close encounters – giraffe feeding! Students heard from zoo experts on the processes of natural selection and physiological adaption, all whilst being centimetres away from these remarkable animals.
We enjoyed the experience with the giraffes and seeing the other animals up close. Hands-on experiences are valuable in Biology as it creates a deeper appreciation for the animals we learn about. Kate Howard & Riley McCarthy
Everyone enjoyed the zoo excursion, something we had looked forward to for the whole year. We not only got to see different kinds of animals but also had the opportunity to see various examples of animals living in different environments while looking closely at their unique adaptations. The zoo excursion has helped us understand the concepts we are learning by looking at real-life examples, making the excursion fun and educational at the same time. Panna Nagy
We enjoyed feeding the giraffes as it was a new opportunity for us. We learned about thermoregulation and behavioural adaptations of giraffes. Hands-on experiences are extremely valuable in biology because we can visualise what we are learning. Isabella Tinley & Lilli Sorci
I enjoyed the opportunity to experience up-close interactions with animals, like feeding the giraffes. I learned further about the homeostatic mechanisms of these animals in further detail. I was able to apply the prior knowledge I had learned in class to the animals I saw at the zoo, which was interesting to me. I believe these hands-on experiences are valuable in studying biology, as it puts the content of the subject into perspective and sparks interest in the topics, we are learning about in class through seeing these animals up close. Sarah Faller
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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
