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Ready for a change of pace? Take a teacher workshop at Brookfield Zoo!
Our expert educators will inform, entertain, and engage you as you explore a wide range of topics. The following classes carry ISBE credit (CPDUs) at no additional charge. Many provide optional graduate credit for an additional fee.
Refund Policy
All class fees include a $40 nonrefundable registration fee for 1-hour graduate classes and a $75 nonrefundable registration fee for 3-hour graduate classes. Class fees, minus the nonrefundable registration fee, can be refunded or transferred to another teacher class if we receive notice of this request at least two weeks prior to the date of the original class.
Have you checked out our new Advanced Inquiry Program Master’s degree? It’s fun and exciting, includes travel abroad, and is very affordable. Check it out at www.czs.org/aip
For questions, contact Lanis Petrik at 708-688-8372 or Lanis.Petrik@czs.org., or Julie Wozniak at 708-688-8367 or Julie.Wozniak@czs.org
2013 Teacher Classes at Brookfield Zoo
Zoo Nutrition (For The Animals And You!)
February 15 (4:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.) and 16 (8:30 a.m. - 4:30- p.m.) Grades K-8, $140, 1 optional graduate credit ($100 Aurora University),
15 CPDU's
Zoo dolphins eat fish that comes from the same companies that supply fine restaurants, Grizzly bears are extra hungry as fall approaches and their bodies get ready for hibernation, orangutans love to eat grape vines, and some species of monkeys might die if they were only fed bananas. Hear interesting stories about animal nutrition and how their diets compare to a human’s. Make some treats for the animals and meet their keepers and the scientists who help them stay healthy!
Patterns In Nature
February 22 (4:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.) and February 23 (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) at Brookfield Zoo. Grades 3 - 9, $140, 1 optional graduate credit ($100 Aurora University), 15 CPDU's
From the spotted pelts of the great cats, the stripes of zebras, and the orderly arrangement of flower petals, patterns in nature encompass beauty, math, art and science! Join us as we explore patterns like zebra stripes that are as individual as fingerprints and others that can only be seen by the eyes of bees and birds (with ultra violet light!) Play with math as we discover how Fibonacci numbers and the Golden Ratio are seen in nature from the nautilus to the shape of the Milky Way. Class activities will include art (no talent required!), math, science and fun!
Spring Readers
March 2 (8:30 - 4:30 p.m) and 3 (11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) Note: This is a Saturday-Sunday class. All Grades, $150, 1 optional graduate science credit through Benedictine University ($115) or 1 graduate credit through Aurora University $100, 15 CPDU's
Spring has been called the “time of wonder”! And March is just the beginning. Days may be warm and sunny or buried in melting, wet snow. But look around! The days are longer and the signs of spring in the animal and plant worlds are all around us. Incorporate reading of fiction and non-fiction books into the science topic of seasonal change. The class will include activities for outdoor exploration. Participants will receive a book in this class. Bring and share YOUR favorite spring stories.
NOTE: This is a Saturday-Sunday class.
Oceans
March 8 (4:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.) and 9 (8:30 a.m. - 4:30- p.m.) Grades K-8, $140, 1 optional graduate credit ($100 Aurora University), 15 CPDU's
Yes! It’s a mini-version of our MOST popular week long summer class: Ocean Explorers. Marine mammals, birds, and diverse ocean invertebrates have amazing adaptations to the ocean world. Explore our animal collection to find out why many marine animals have the same shapes or how all can survive life in a salty, wet and often hostile environment. Observe birds that fly through the sea and animals that look like plants. Hear from the folks who care for our engaging dolphins. Take home activities, photos, a CD and more!
Science Talk: Communicating Science
Class meets at the Mayslake Peabody Estate (a Forest Preserve District of DuPage County facility). April 13, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and 14 (11:00-a.m. -5:00 p.m.) Please note: this is a Saturday/ Sunday class. All grades, $150, 1 graduate credit hour ($100, Aurora University) or 1 graduate science credit ($115 Benedictine University), CPS Lane credit,
15 CPDUs.
Discuss how we communicate science: talking, writing, texting, drawing, graphs, charts, photos, videos, and more. Sometimes the least favorite for students, recording and reporting your results can be the most fun. Participate in science activities and create interesting ways to share results and assess your students. Staff from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Brookfield Zoo, the Spring Valley Nature Center, Benedictine University, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, and other partners look forward to spending two great days with you. NOTE: This is a Saturday/Sunday class.
Invasive Species: Visitors With No Baggage!
April 19 (4:30 p.m. - 10-:00 p.m.) and 20 (8:30 - 4:30 p.m.), all grades, $150, optional graduate credit ($115 through Benedictine University),
15 CPDU's
Look around you! You might be amazed to realize how many of the plants and animals in our landscape are not native to this area! Zebra mussels, garlic mustard, buckthorn, Dutch elm disease, emerald ash borers, sea lampreys and more affect our ecosystems. What actions can you (and your students!) do to prevent or solve problems? Staff from the Illinois Indiana Sea Grant and Brookfield Zoo join forces as we explore aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
Form And Function
May 11 at Brookfield Zoo and May 18 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM both days, $140, all grades, 1 optional graduate credit hour ($100 through Aurora University), 15 CPDUs.
Discover weird and wonderful examples of life in the plant and animal kingdoms with examples from desert, rain forest, and grassland ecosystems. Hands on investigations will center on animal dentition, the structure of cells, camouflage and taxonomy. Attention will be paid to structural, physiological and behavioral adaptations.
Professional Development Day at Brookfield Zoo
May 18, 900 AM.-2:00 PM Brookfield Zoo’s Discovery Center
9:00-9:15 Welcome,
Light breakfast
9:15-11:15 Breakout session 1
11:15-12:00 Lunch
12:00-2:00 Breakout session 2
Breakout sessions include: Science Inquiry, Turning Labs Into Inquiry,
Using Picture Books for Science Literacy, and Zoo Math
Program Cost: $75.00 includes breakfast, lunch, materials and 4 CPDU’s.
Zoo Gardens
NEW! May 31 (4:30-10 PM) and June 1 (8:30 AM - 4:30 PM ), all grades, $140, 1 optional graduate credit ($100 through Aurora University), 15 CPDU’s.
Formal gardens, exhibit plantings that mimic natural ecosystems, native prairie and oak savannahs, wetlands, butterfly gardens and more comprise the horticultural side of Brookfield Zoo. We’ll hear from staff and volunteers who care for the plants at the Zoo, use inquiry to focus our observations, and participate in classroom and field trip activities.
Ocean Explorers
June 10 to June 14, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. each day. All grades, $350, 3 optional graduate science hours ($345 Benedictine University) or 3 optional graduate credit hours ($300 Aurora University), 45 CPDUs.
Our most popular summer class is back! We focus on ocean animals: bottlenose dolphins, penguins, seals, sea lions, and more. Carry out a behavioral observation and develop inquiry questions for use with your students. The fee includes curriculum materials and a book.
Birds
June 25 and June 27, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. both days, Grades 4–12, $140, 1 optional graduate science credit ($115 through Benedictine University), 15 CPDUs
From the smallest hummingbird to the largest ostrich, the bird world is filled with feathered marvels. Discover what exactly makes a bird a bird and how diverse birds can be! They can be found on every continent and in every ecosystem thanks to the countless biological adaptations that enhance their survival. This class includes activities for outdoor exploration, zoo visits and the classroom. Time will be spent observing the bird collection at Brookfield Zoo.
Primates
July 8 to 12, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. each day. All grades, $350, 3 optional graduate science hours ($300, Aurora University), 45 CPDUs
In this course we investigate primate conservation and behavior through direct observation providing a foundation for understanding research methods and conservation issues. Callimicos, Spider Monkeys, Brown Capuchins, White Cheeked Gibbons, Orangutans, Mangabeys, Lowland Gorillas and other primates are ideal for comparative studies on topics ranging from social structure to communication. Meet scientists, curators, and animals keepers who will share information and stories.
Zoology
July 15-19, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. each day, All grades, $350, 3 optional graduate science hours ($345, Benedictine University) or 3 optional graduate credit hours ($300, Aurora University), 45 CPDUs
Zoology capitalizes on most students’ natural interest in and fascination with animals while teaching basic biological concepts that can be applied to other areas. Studying zoology at one of the country’s major zoos gives participants access to opportunities for hands on observations, staff expertise, an extensive biofact collections, and real-life animal stories and information. This course is designed to help teachers gain biological information for application in their classrooms as well as the methodology to do so.
Butterflies
June 24 at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago and June 26 at Brookfield Zoo, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. both days, Grades K-9, $140, 1 optional graduate science credit (Benedictine University, $115), 15 CPDUs
Visit two wonderful butterfly habitats and learn about the life cycle of these beautiful creatures. Design and conduct inquiry observations, hear about butterflies from the experts who care for them, and get activities for use in your classroom.
Picture Book Science (New!)
July 29 through August 2, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each day, 3 graduate credit hours (Aurora University $300), 45 cpdu’s. $350 grades K-9.
Have trouble finding the time to fit in science? Love to use picture books in your classroom? This is your class! Make more time and expand content knowledge in science all while learning literacy skills. Come learn about this great way to integrate science within your curriculum and explore key science and literacy concepts through the use of picture books. Sample lessons, learn to pick effective books, plan a unit and take resources back to your classroom.
Foundations Of Inquiry
August 5–9, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each day. 3 graduate science credit hours (Aurora University $300), 45 cpdu’s. $350 all grades.
The Cycle of Inquiry is a user friendly version of the scientific method that emphasizes the inquiry question format to promote thinking and investigation. Science, reading and math are shown as the foundations of inquiry. This class shows teachers how they can engage their students in studies of important curricular subjects, encouraging them to learn by asking questions and using the school’s natural surroundings as a living laboratory.