Ethics and Conservation (Self-Guided)

Connect 

Use the activities in the Teaching Guide (below) to spark student’s curiosity before their zoo visit and to conduct and practice Community of Inquiry. 

Connect and Understand 

Explore the specifically designed case studies through the Ethics Trail at Melbourne Zoo. This trail has been designed in order to develop students’ ability to contribute to a philosophical Community of Inquiry. It will challenge them to develop and refine their understanding of the contested meaning of concepts such as fairness, happiness, freedom and harm, and modes of philosophical thought.  

The case studies focus on animals at the zoo, e.g. Seals and Orangutans. The teaching resource will provide teachers with all the background knowledge required to conduct a successful Community of Inquiry. The on-site case study is designed to take approximately 1 hour, leaving your 2 – 3 hours to explore the Zoo and apply their thinking to different species. 

Understand 

Use activities in the Teaching Guide to deepen students’ learning back at school. 

Act 

Use the Teaching Guide to enable students to master their knowledge and skills in real-world contexts. 

Year 3-4 - Explore the contested meaning of concepts including fairness and harm and how they can seem to differ in different situations (VCECU004) 

• Students will explore a case study focussing on seals through the substantive question: Is it fair that we treat seals differently than people?  

Year 5-6 - Examine the contested meaning of concepts including truth and happiness and the extent to which these concepts are and should be valued (VCECU009) 

• Students will explore a case study focussing on Orangutans through the substantive question: Do all animals have the right to be happy? 

Year 7-8 - Explore the contested meaning of concepts including freedom, justice, and rights and responsibilities, and the extent they are and should be valued by different individuals and groups (VCECU014) 

• Students will explore a case study focussing on one of our zoo animals through the substantive question: Is it better to be free than safe? 

Year 9-10 - Explore a range of ethical problems and examine the extent to which different positions are related to commonly held ethical concepts and principles, considering the influence of cultural norms, religion, world views and philosophical thought (VCECU020) 

• Students will explore an ethical dilemma at the zoo and be encouraged to apply different modes of philosophical thought to approach the dilemma from various viewpoints.