Library and Teacher Resources
The Library and Teacher Resource Center houses a diverse array of materials for use in the classroom. Teachers in the Saint Louis metropolitan area have access to DVDs, curriculum guides, activity books and kits. All materials are available for loan free of charge.
Zoocases
Enhance your classroom experience with Zoocases, our hands-on loan kits for teachers in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Zoocases are filled with a host of engaging objects, information and fun activities.
Nature is everywhere! You may not think of your neighborhood or schoolyard as a good place to see and observe nature but it can be. Many animals have adapted to an urban environment and are easily seen during the day. Others may be more secretive, but if you know how to look for signs, they are there. You can become a wildlife detective right in your own neighborhood.
Your students will dive into the world of ocean life by learning about adaptations, classification, life cycles, and what the Saint Louis Zoo does to promote conservation. This Zoocase includes lesson plans and materials for a variety of exciting, hands-on learning experiences, as well as books, biofacts and other materials to help students learn all about our underwater friends.
Learn about how animals live in the extreme conditions of the North and South Poles and how we can help protect them and their special habitats. This kit includes differentiated lesson plans which include role-playing, self-guided exploration, STEM activities, and more with a focus on penguins and polar bears.
What makes rainforests so remarkable? The diversity of wildlife that calls the rainforest home! This Zoocase will help learners explore the animals, plants, and unique features of this biome, while learning how they can help conserve and protect these majestic forests from afar!
Discover the world of amphibians through classification, life cycles
and adaptations with this Zoocase. Through hands-on activities, books
and more, students will learn about how amazing our slimy friends are
and what the Saint Louis Zoo is doing to help them.
Your students will become scientists to discover the world of
reptiles while learning about adaptations, classification and
conservation work being done by the Saint Louis Zoo. This Zoocase
contains biofacts, hands-on activities, books and more. Students will
gain empathy and appreciation for our scaly friends.
Pre-K-5th Grade
Are your students hungry for knowledge? In this Zoocase, we’re dishing up all sorts of activities to get your class excited about animal nutrition! Inside you’ll find a unique lesson plan, biofact replicas, games and more.
Reserve a Zoocase
Zoo Education staff can deliver/pickup Zoocases to schools and organizations in St Louis City and County for a $25 fee. Title 1 schools can receive free delivery. We cannot deliver to private residences. No more than two Zoocases may be delivered to the same address on one day. Deliveries are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The delivery fee must be paid online with a credit card.
Zoocases are available for two-week loan.
Reference Volumes
In addition to our loan materials, the Zoo Library and Teacher Resource Center houses a collection of over 5,000 books and periodicals on conservation and zoology. View our collection through the Zoo's online library catalog. Please call (314) 646-4555 to make an appointment.
Reference Service
Zoo Library staff may be able to assist with questions about animals. Inquiries may be sent to animalquestions@stlzoo.org.
Digital and Online Resources
The Saint Louis Zoo can provide a wide variety of content-rich offerings in life science and conservation, as well as in science teaching methods, to help you effectively meet the needs of your students. Customized professional development programs are available to teachers, districts and schools throughout the St. Louis area. Designed to address your district's science curriculum and Missouri Grade and Course Level Expectations, these programs include topics such as living systems, ecology, conservation, and scientific inquiry.
View videos and access other digital resources. One time, free registration required.
Visit our virtual conservation learning page for digital resources and virtual programs.
School Visits
The school/group registration form is no longer required at this time.
Students may bring sack lunches to the Zoo; however, we cannot store lunches. Rental lockers are available for the storage of lunches or any other items during your group visit. If you do not want to rent a locker, we suggest bringing a wagon to carry your items with you or leaving your items on the bus. The Zoo does not hold personal items and is not responsible for any items left unattended. Unattended items are left at your own risk and may be removed by Zoo Security.
You are welcome to enjoy your lunch at any of our outdoor tables or benches, except those on the terrace at the Cafe Kudu and at Lakeside Cafe.
See the picnic map for places to enjoy your lunch.
Professional Development Opportunities/Workshops
For all educators
Designed for educators from all roles and environments, the Sustainability Institute for Educators challenges participants to help learners build awareness, recognize responsibility, and take action as global citizens working to build a healthier, more sustainable world. This year, Institute participants will explore the multidisciplinary nature of climate change. Teaching about the climate crisis can be daunting, but is not insurmountable. Climate action is happening all around us. Teachers can help students move through the natural anxiety they may be experiencing to join in and spark new solutions-oriented action. Through interactive sessions and local climate change expert presentations, educators will learn the basics of climate science and how to bring climate solutions to their learning spaces. Sessions will demonstrate how a range of disciplines can work together to understand and address the needs of climate change through education and youth engagement. Join us to gain knowledge, tools, strategies, and community networking to explore climate solutions and help tackle this critical issue. The 3-day Institute will be held at three locations in the St. Louis area: Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis Zoo, and Webster University.
Fee: $125 registration fee includes lunch.
Scholarships and graduate credit available.
June 20-22 Tu-Th 8:30-4:00 pm
Visit webster.edu/sie for more information and to register.
Ladybugs, Leopards, and Literacy
From the smallest backyard residents to the coolest cats in the wild, animals are a great way to get kids interested in literacy and science! Learn ways to integrate animals and nature into all aspects of your curriculum.
The Young Scientist
The smallest children can have the biggest questions. How can you help bring out their inner scientist? Learn how to harness their natural curiosity while introducing science process skills, citizen science, critical thinking and more.
Outdoor Explorations
Bring the outdoors in and the classroom outside! Research tells us that when children spend time in nature, they have better attention, are more creative and spend more time collaborating. We will share easy ways to connect to nature in and out of the classroom, no matter where your school is.
STEAM
Kids love to explore the world around them! Learn easy, hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math experiences that naturally fit into an early childhood classroom.
Seasonal Animal Explorations
From changes in nature to animal migration, every season brings something new to explore! Travel through a year of hands-on activities and explorations as we learn about animals through the seasons.
Contact
Group programs are available for three to six hours, at the Zoo or at your site. All programs are a mix of hands-on activities and discussion. The following programs are available with a minimum of four weeks’ notice. Prices start at $450.
Contact Laura Seger at Seger@stlzoo.org for questions and to book a program.
Throughout the school year, the Saint Louis Zoo Education Department can provide tailor-made professional development opportunities to enhance your science curriculum and help you meet your students' needs. Perhaps you are using a textbook and wish to find additional hands-on or inquiry-based activities, or you need supplemental information to properly address Missouri Grade Level Expectations. Maybe you have a kit-based curriculum and need professional development on kit use. The Zoo staff will work with your school or district to provide materials, programs, and training to meet your specific needs.
The Zoo Education Department staff is experienced in providing programs that blend content, methods, and student activities into cross-curricular activities that connect literacy, math, art and social sciences to science topics. Each workshop is designed to improve teacher confidence and raise comfort levels. Groups requesting workshops need to provide detailed information about their wishes in order to properly focus the professional development. All teacher workshops address applicable Missouri Grade Level Expectations.
General topics include:
Life Sciences
- Biology
- Adaptations
- Animal Behavior
- Animal Groups (e.g. birds, insects, etc.)
- Classification / Taxonomy
- Evolution and Natural Selection
- Life Cycles
Ecology
- Biodiversity
- Biomes, Ecosystems, and Communities
- Food Chains and Webs
- Habitat and Niche
- Organisms and Populations
- Conservation
Teaching Strategies
- Cross - curricular Applications
- Inquiry - based Science
Other topics can be requested.
Frameworks Addressed
- III. Living Systems
- IV. Ecology
- VII. Scientific Inquiry
Contact
Group programs are available for three to six hours, at the Zoo or at your site. All programs are a mix of hands-on activities and discussion. The following programs are available with a minimum of four weeks’ notice. Prices start at $450.
Contact Laura Seger at Seger@stlzoo.org for questions and to book a program.