anon-Mac CANON-MAC SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
THE MAGIC OF ANIMALS :
ZOO IN THE CLASSROOM
Baby chicks , rabbits , turtles , bearded dragons and so much more ! Mrs . Chelsea Geist , environmental science and zoology teacher at Canon-McMillan High School , has over 100 live animal residents in her classroom .
In Zoo in the Classroom , a unique program that Geist initiated , second-grade students across Canon-McMillan ’ s five elementary schools discover the vibrant wildlife with help from Geist ’ s expert students . Geist ’ s students assume the role of zoology teachers , educate the second-grade students about animals and facilitate safe interactions .
Geist ’ s students are positioned at 15 lab table stations throughout the classroom when second-grade arrives , filing in eagerly with big smiles . Second-grade students travel throughout the room in groups of two or three , where they can learn about and interact with each animal , with often more than one species at each table .
The high school students have studied and researched the animals , becoming experts in each animal ’ s unique characteristics , such as its anatomy and behavior . This experience not only underscores the importance of wildlife to the elementary school students in an enjoyable , interactive setting but also presents the high school students with a teaching and leadership opportunity .
The students ’ hands-on interactions with the animals create magical moments . As the students rotate from one station to another , smiles , laughter and sounds of joy move throughout the room .
Second-grade listens attentively to the high school students and demonstrates their curiosity through questions and interactions . When some students may feel hesitant to touch an animal like a turtle or bearded dragon , the high school students do an excellent job demonstrating the appropriate way to pet or hold each animal .
Learning about the animals continues even when the secondgrade students return to their classrooms . Geist composes several activities for the students to engage with post-visit , such as animalrelated word searches , writing prompts and art exercises , to expand their creativity and knowledge and allow them to reflect on their interactions with the animals .
Zoo in the Classroom is an exciting , extraordinary opportunity to educate the whole student and foster a love and interest in wildlife and animals .
CANON-MAC ❘ WINTER 2024 43