Adaptations and Features Year 5-6
Take a trip to the African savannah, engage in hands-on activities and discover the features of African predators and their prey.
Program description
It’s survival of the fittest in the grasslands of Africa. Discover the adaptations predators have to hunt successfully and the features prey have developed to give them a fighting chance.
Analyse skulls and investigate what it takes for these animals to survive. In this program, students will learn how to group animals based on their diet and discover how animals rely on their senses, each other and their environment to survive.
Students will learn:
- How to identify features and adaptations that enable African animals to survive
- How African animals rely on each other and the conditions of their environment
- The challenges African wildlife face in the wild
- How Zoos Victoria is helping to fight extinction in Australia and overseas
Can’t make it to one of our zoos? Our Digital Program gives you direct access to your own expert Zoo Teacher and unique zoo content. Location is no longer a barrier.
Program sequence
Connect
Use the activities in the Teaching Guide (below) to spark students’ curiosity before their zoo visit.
Connect and Understand
During your Zoo Teacher workshop, students will participate in a discussion about African wildlife and the challenges they face. Be immersed amongst animals and habitat as you explore the trails of Werribee Open Range Zoo. Students will learn about Zoos Victoria’s mission to fight extinction, how the zoo works with African communities to protect wildlife and how students can help too.
Your zoo visit will include: Introduction (for arrivals between 9:45am – 10:00am), Zoo Teacher workshop (30 minutes), Safari Bus Tour (40 minutes) and keeper talks. Check out your Teaching Guide for other ideas of what to do at the zoo.
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/s and safari bus tour time. Each workshop time has its own map and daily itinerary. Paper maps will be provided to you on the day.
Program resources
Learning outcomes
Victorian Curriculum 5-6
Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (VCSSU074)
- Students will learn how African wildlife have adaptations to help them be successful predators and avoid becoming prey
The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment (VCSSU075)
- Students will learn how reliant African wildlife are on the environment to survive and how humans can impact on their survival
Environmental and human influences on the location and characteristics of places and the management of spaces within them (VCGGK096)
- Students discover the impacts of livestock in the African savannah and how Zoos Victoria is working to help create wildlife friendly communities
Australia’s connections with other countries and how these change people and places (VCGGK098)
- Students discover how Zoos Victoria is working with communities in Africa to help protect wildlife
Plan your excursion
This program is an outdoor all-weather program; the students will need appropriate clothing for weather conditions. This could include a raincoat, hat and sun protection.
The organising teacher should make themselves known to Admission Staff prior to entering the Zoo so that payment can be made. More information.
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