Local Legends
Students will discover animals that are Local Legends and use storytelling to inspire their community to care for wildlife.
Program description
Discover the science of animal features and life cycles, connect with the stories of Aboriginal people and activate your students' own storytelling abilities. In Local Legends, your students will gather information and share ideas, both in the classroom and at the zoo, and learn how to be a custodian for wildlife.
Students will learn:
- Australian animal features and life cycles
- How storytelling is used by Aboriginal people to communicate custodial responsibility for Country/Place
- Importance of storytelling for wildlife conservation
- How to be a custodian for local animals and native wildlife
Program sequence
Connect
Use the activities in the Teaching Guide (below) to spark students’ curiosity before their Healesville Sanctuary visit.
Connect and Understand
Students will have the opportunity to observe animal features in their habitat, learn about their life cycles and find out what they can do to care for wildlife. In their zoo workshop, they will be encouraged to do their own storytelling and identify how they can work with others to become a hero for local animals.
Your Sanctuary visit will include: A Welcome (for arrivals between 9:50am-10:10am), a Healesville Sanctuary Teacher workshop (40 minutes), Spirits of the Sky presentation and keeper talks. Check out your Teaching Guide for other ideas of what to do at Healesville Sanctuary.
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.
Program maps and itineraries
Your booking confirmation email will list your group's education workshop time/s. Each workshop time has its own map and suggested daily itinerary. Digital maps will be provided to you on the day.
Program resources
Learning outcomes
Victorian Curriculum 3-4
Different living things have different life cycles and depend on each other and the environment to survive (VCSSU058)
- Understanding the connections between living things and their environment
Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things (VCSSU057)
- Unique and observable features are highlighted during the workshop sessions to display how these features relate to the survival of the animal and its habitat
Types of natural vegetation and the significance of vegetation to the environment, the importance of environments to animals and people, and different views on how they can be protected; the use and management of natural resources and waste, and different views on how to do this sustainably (VCGGK082)
- Students will have the opportunity to observe Australian species in their habitat and learn what they can do to protect animals, natural vegetation, and wild environments
The many Countries/Places of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout Australia, and the custodial responsibility they have for Country/Place, and how this influences views about sustainability (VCGGK080)
- Students will learn how to be a responsible custodian to Australian animals and their habitats through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tradition of storytelling
Plan your excursion
Local Legends is an outdoor all-weather program; the students will need appropriate clothing for weather conditions. This could include a raincoat, hat and sun protection.
School groups will enter Melbourne Zoo via the Rail Gate entrance. Organising teachers please check in with our Admissions team upon arrival. More Information.
All onsite excursion bookings are subject to coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions and as such are subject to change in line with the Victorian Chief Health Officer’s advice. We will be in contact with all teachers prior to their booked date if we need to clarify any new requirements.
Book your education experience
Fill out an online form to request a booking for your zoo education experience
Request booking nowYou will need to know the following to book your zoo excursion or online workshop:
- Education program of your choice (if applicable)
- Preferred date
- School name and address
- Contact details of organising teacher
- Number of students/classes and their year level