I love zoos. As a kid, I wanted to grow up and be a zookeeper. It was a dream of mine that wasn't fulfilled, but it's okay. Some would say being a teacher is close enough.
Many of you will be traveling to zoos for their field trips (good luck) while others won't have the opportunity. That's why I've put together a little collection of worthy zoo websites that are top-notch quality for reading, researching, and interactive for the students (and even you).
I've highlighted some of the key features for each site, but I'd suggest letting your students do the virtual walking and discover all the goodness for themselves.
Brookfield Zoo (Chicago)
This is my hometown zoo, so it had to make this list. The website is filled with everything from conservation to animal information. Last fall we went and saw snow leopard babies. I almost died.
Go watch the baby, Bei Bei, on the Panda Cam. They have a great list of conservation initiatives that are taking place that students can read about.
San Fransisco Zoo
Their website has been redesigned and is easy to navigate. Plus, they have an extra-large animal list with all the information you could want when doing research or just reading. It's pretty great.
San Diego Zoo
This might be the most kid-friendly zoo site. There's a section catering strictly to kids filled with photos and videos galore. Plus, they have pandas.
Columbus Zoo (Ohio)
Excellent site that is very interactive. This is Jack Hannah's zoo and it has an enormous Animal Guide list.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (Tacoma, Washington)
Animals listed by habitat location.
Sydney Zoo (Australia)
A wide variety of animals from around the world, but from a. international perspective.
Chester Zoo (UK)
Cross the pond and see what an international zoo look like.
Houston Zoo (Texas)
Live Animal Webcams.
The Living Zoo (Palm Spring, Ca)
See how animals survive in the desert heat.
Check out this Symbaloo page ZOOS (below) I created with almost 30 sites to zoos around the world. It's perfect for kids to use.
