Anna was absolutely outstanding with our pupils. She was calm, patient and encouraging. Her scaffolded approach and reassurance gave our pupils the confidence to have a go. She’s exceptional!
BISHOPSWOOD SCHOOL
Middlefield School
Based in Glasgow’s South Side, Middlefield School strives to improve outcomes for young people with Autism/ASC. They work with pupils of all abilities and ages – from 5 to 18 years old.
MEET THE RANGERS
THE BRIEF
The school specialises in children with autism and challenging behaviour. They wanted an educational animal workshop for 3 mixed groups with specialised needs and requirements.
"In my 20 years as a SEN teacher, Anna was, by far, the best presenter I have ever come across.
She was absolutely outstanding with our pupils." BISHOPSWOOD SCHOOL
"Rob was fantastic during our ZooLab session. He used Makaton signing & picture cards to enhance pupils learning." THOMAS BEWICK SCHOOL
THE SOLUTION
Our versatile presenter was able to adjust the show to reflect the needs and abilities of the pupils in any given session.
Our animal handling sessions encourage communication in autistic children and helps reduce stress and anxiety. By spending time with each child individually, we were able to build a rapport and sense of trust.
Pupils were also free to choose which animals to engage with on their own terms using our Now Next board.
THE RESULT
Our Social Story ensured that pupils, parents and staff knew what to expect from their ZooLab visit prior to our arrival. This helped manage the pupils' behaviour during the session and alleviate any anxious feelings about interacting with exotic animals.
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Family members attending on the day commented how surprised they were at how freely their children were interacting with exotic creatures. Usually shy and reserved children were brought out of their shell (no pun intended) by our ZooLab animals.
ALL OUR WORKSHOPS COME WITH
A FREE RESOURCE PACK!
Get in the know before getting up-close and hands-on
OUR WORKSHOPS:
DURATION: 45 - 55 mins
OVERVIEW: How slimy is a snail? What does a snake feel like? How far can a frog jump? Get up-close and hands-on with our unique Animal Explorer workshop.
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Guided by your expert ZooLab Ranger, your class will meet a menagerie of reptiles, mammals, inverts, amphibians and arachnids whilst hitting curriculum outcomes.
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This fun and interactive workshop perfectly exemplifies why ZooLab is WILD about animals.
Animal Explorer
All ages and abilities
DURATION: 45 - 55 mins
OVERVIEW:
What is a habitat? What types of habitat are there? Why do habitats matter? So many questions answered!
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​ZooLab’s Habitat workshop introduces pupils to different habitats from around the world: including tropical rainforests, deserts, polar regions and oceans. This hands-on workshop looks at three great survivors; rats, cockroaches and humans and considers how and why they have survived.
Habitats
All ages and abilities
DURATION: 45 - 55 mins
OVERVIEW: Minibeasts have existed for around 550 million years and make up approximately 97% of creatures on Earth! In fact, the UK alone is home to 25,000 different species - these little creatures are quite a big deal. Let’s look at Minibeasts together!
During ZooLab’s workshop, children get a fun introduction to invertebrates and classification. They get to question, investigate and learn about scientific discovery.
This workshop answers all the big questions such as - What do Minibeasts have inside them? Are there any similarities with our bodies?
Minibeasts
All ages and abilities
DURATION: 45 - 55 mins
OVERVIEW: We’re going to use our senses to meet our animal friends (except taste (yuck!)) and find out how they use their senses. How do they look, sound, smell and what they feel like?
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Children learn how animals use their senses within their habitats. How do animals perceive their surroundings and how well are their senses adapted to them? Children make hands-on discoveries of textures and senses in an animal handling experience that is suitable for everyone from new intake to SEN classes.
Senses and Textures
​All ages and abilities
DURATION: 45 - 55 mins
OVERVIEW: Food chains are a very delicate balance - each species is dependent on the others around it. If something upsets that balance then drastic things can happen!
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This workshop looks at feeding connections (what-eats-what) in an ecological community. We examine herbivores, carnivores and omnivores and learn how to classify non-living and living things. Discover where energy comes from and what can cause the disruption of a food web.
Predators, Prey and Food Chains
All ages and abilities
DURATION: 45 - 55 mins
OVERVIEW:
A very important rule for living things is that they need to stay alive (or else they wouldn’t be living things)!
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This workshop emphasises what we need to do to look after animals, plants and the planet. Exploring the diverse requirements of a range of ZooLab animals, we discover that often creatures need the same core things to survive; food, water, oxygen and protection/shelter.
Using active learning techniques and building on prior knowledge this value driven show in teaches respect for all living things.
Caring for Living Things
All ages and abilities