LouLife

The Louisville Zoo recently received a $50,000 grant from The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS. The grant will be used to help support School at the Zoo, a week-long “hands-on,” “minds-on,” interdisciplinary experience designed primarily for fourth and seventh grade students using the Zoo as a “living classroom.”

School at the Zoo began in 1999 and addresses the need for enhanced science education by providing practical learning experiences that motivate students, most of whom come from Title I schools. More than 6,600 students have participated in the program since its inception.

School at the Zoo literally lets students discover, experience and explore the world of science.

“Animals and plants naturally bring out children’s innate curiosity about the world around them,” said Louisville Zoo Education Curator Marcelle Gianelloni. “School at the Zoo connects students to the world of plants and animals by using the Zoo’s ‘living classroom’ and having students ask questions and be problem solvers and critical thinkers. This in turn increases their knowledge of environmental and conservation issues. We want them to walk away with a better understanding of how to protect our planet, as well as positive attitudes about animals, plants and the world around them.”

Curriculum covered throughout the week is aligned directly with the required “Kentucky’s Core Content for Assessment” guidelines covering such topics as animal behavior, life cycles, classification, ecosystems, food webs and organisms and their basic needs. Students’ understanding and knowledge of science and their ability to reason and problem-solve are developed through inquiry and the application of scientific concepts to real-life situations.

“We are grateful to The UPS Foundation for supporting this important program,” Gianelloni said. “Not only is School at the Zoo highly educational, it is fun for the students. We do pre- and post-assessments with each student and find that their knowledge has definitely expanded. Teachers often tell me that they never could have covered the depth of information that students learn at School at the Zoo.”

The UPS Foundation, which has supported the Zoo since 1992, has given more than $410,000 to the School at the Zoo program since 2003.

“UPS has a long-standing commitment to making communities all over the world better by supporting organizations and engaging over 400,000 employees in community service worldwide,” said Lisa Hamilton, president of The UPS Foundation. “Together with nonprofit partners such as the Louisville Zoo, we work to make a positive impact on the lives of people in need.”

For more information on the School at the Zoo program, contact Marcelle Gianelloni at (502) 238-5328 or e-mail marcelle.gianelloni@louisvilleky.gov.