Teacher Seminar: Zoo and Aquarium Courses for Classroom Use (2025)

Students will observe the shapes of the beaks and feet of various kinds of birds and think about the reasons for their shapes. They will also learn how to sketch easily even if they are not good at drawing, and how to analyze the results of their observations in their own way.

A veterinarian from Ueno Zoo will talk about a typical day in the life of a zoo veterinarian, including rounds, medical care, and treatment. The second half of the presentation will focus on a day in the life of a zoo animal keeper and how it relates to veterinarians.

The physical characteristics and lifestyles of the various creatures that Swimmy encounters in the picture book "Swimmy" will be introduced using footage of creatures kept at the aquarium, such as the missile-shaped Pacific Bluefin Tuna and schooling Japanese Pilchard.

We will compare the growth of baby Asian Elephant and giant pandas, and explain from a biological perspective how baby animals are born, raised, and interact with their parents, which differ depending on the species and lifestyle.

We will closely observe the feeding behavior of carnivores and herbivores. We will compare the shape of their teeth, chewing methods, and the appearance of their feces to explore the ingenuity of their digestive systems.

schedule
09:30 Orientation
10:20 Observing how herbivores eat
11:20 Observation of herbivore teeth
12:10 Lunch
13:10 Observing how carnivores eat
13:30 Observation of carnivorous teeth
14:00 Observation of feces
14:45 Summary
15:30 Free time to explore the park
16:30 End

In the life science unit "Being Friends with Living Things," we will introduce guinea pigs, which are recommended as pets at schools, and how to properly raise them and use them in educational settings.

schedule
09:45 Orientation
10:00 Lecture: What kind of animal is a guinea pig?
10:20 Observation: Let's look at the guinea pig's body (whole body, legs, teeth)
Listen to a guinea pig's heartbeat
Let's feed the guinea pig
11:00 Practical session: Let's make a guinea pig cage
11:30 Lecture: How to raise guinea pigs, precautions, and how to care for them
12:00 Lecture: Application to school classes
12:15 Summary
12:30 End

Currently, various invasive species live around us, and some of them have a major impact on ecosystems and human life. Through observations at Shinobazu Pond, we will think together about what invasive species are, why they are a problem, and how we can best communicate the issue of invasive species to children.

schedule
09:45 Orientation, purpose explanation, self-introduction
10:00 Group work and discussion: What are invasive species?
10:30 Experience: Investigating the creatures of Shinobazu Pond
12:15 Lunch
13:15 Group work and talk: What is the problem with invasive species?
14:15 Group work and talk: How do we explain the problem of invasive species to children?
14:45 Summary

Students will observe live animals and skeletal specimens, and compare the structure and movement of the human body with that of other animals. They will also gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between the physical characteristics of animals and their lifestyles.

schedule
09:45 Orientation: Human body structure and movement
10:15 Experience: Observing the body and movements of Giraffe and Cheetah
11:30 Lecture: Comparison of the human and other animal bodies
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Experience: See, touch and think about animal skeletons
14:10 Lecture: The physical characteristics of animals and their relationship to daily life
14:30 Animal observation based on what we learned today
16:00 End

Students will experience how to touch and catch insects without being afraid, and through observation they will learn about the differences between larvae and adults, how they grow, etc. This course is aimed at teachers who teach insects in third-grade science classes, and will deepen students' familiarity and understanding of insects, and allow them to experience the joy of "observation and awareness."


schedule
09:45 Orientation
10:00 Experience: Touching insects
11:00 Experience: Let's try catching insects
12:15 Lunch
13:15 Experience: Take a close look at the body of an insect
14:30 Lecture and experience: How insects grow
15:30 Summary and Q&A
16:00 End

Students will search for, collect, and observe various creatures on the tidal flats in front of the aquarium. In the second half of the program, they will deepen their understanding of the tidal flat environment and the creatures that live there. In addition, they will work in groups to think together about how to utilize field observations at school.

schedule
09:15 Reception and orientation
09:30 Experience: Observing tidal flat creatures
11:45 Observation ends, move to the aquarium
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Group work: Reflection on tidal flat observations
14:15 Group work: How to use field observations in schools
14:45 Break
15:00 How to organize
15:40 Tour of the park
16:30 End

In the 1st and 2nd grade Japanese language stories "Swimmy" and "Hide and Seek in the Sea," creatures that have various survival techniques appear, such as forming schools and changing their body color. In this course, we will observe creatures from the perspective of one of these techniques, "hiding," and learn about the hiding designs of each creature through "observation and discovery."

schedule
08:45/13:30 Meeting and reception
09:30/14:00 Story: Various "Hide and Seek"
10:15/14:45 Experience: Observing Hiding Designs (Biological Specimen Observation)
10:45/15:15 Experience: Observe the hiding design (Observing Pacific Bluefin Tuna)
11:15/15:45 Observation: Let's look for hidden creatures
12:00/16:30 End

With a focus on insects, students will learn how to find and catch familiar creatures, how to look them up in illustrated guides, and how to become familiar with them. This is an introductory course recommended for teachers who are not good with insects or who want to learn more about them.

schedule
09:30 Registration and orientation
09:55 Lecture: What kind of creatures are insects?
10:05 Experience: Search for and catch insects
12:20 Lunch
13:20 Lecture: How to attract creatures to the schoolyard
13:35 Experience: How to look up information in an illustrated book and observe
15:05 Lecture and practical training: Let's look at the connection between our lives and our bodies
16:10 Summary
16:20 End

We hope that children will enjoy meaningful animal observations even during casual visits to the zoo, such as school excursions or field trips. As each group observes the assigned animals, they will learn the unique perspectives of a zoo and ways to bring out the joy of discovery for the children themselves.

schedule
09:30 Gather, enter the park
09:35 Orientation: Purpose explanation, self-introductions, group division
10:00 Talk: What to look for when observing animals at the zoo
10:15 Experience: Each group observes the assigned animals
11:00 Break
11:10 Talk: How to encourage children to observe
11:20 Workshop: Thinking about programs for elementary school students
11:50 Sharing of each group's program
12:15 Summary, introduction of educational materials and programs at the zoo and aquarium
12:30 End