When you are a child, the zoo can be a wonderland beyond your imagination. You are surrounded by animals you almost never would have a chance to encounter, you get to run around and play all day, and you are exposed to new knowledge that is presented in a fun way.
Growing up in Jacksonville, I got to go to the Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens quite often, and I was beyond lucky to have this opportunity. There were so many amazing animals, and the zoo was always expanding to make room for more exhibits. It was at the zoo where I first fell in love with animals, and from there, that love flourished. I would find out about an animal I had never heard about and would be so intrigued that I HAD to know more. The zoo sparked my interest in animals, and it sparked an interest in wanting to learn more.
Now that I have been in a classroom with students, and am able to see how much a trip to a zoo can do for sparking interest in things outside of every day, mandatory learning, and how it can influence a child's interaction in other lessons. Coming to Gainesville, it was an odd transition because I came from a city that had a large, highly funded zoo, to a city with a smaller, less funded zoo. The Santa Fe zoo has a lot less opportunity for animal exposure, and because of this, lessons within the classroom that I could use with different exposures to animals, I can't necessarily use because children may struggle with obtaining and maintaining the knowledge they might have otherwise.
Having the exposure to the zoo can also teach children about other jobs they may not normally be exposed or encouraged to look into. If we are able to educate children on the different options that they have in career choices, not just limiting them to doctors or lawyers, then we can give them a chance to potentially find their passion in life and encourage to follow the dreams that make them happy. Along with jobs, we also teach children about what good the zoos can do for wildlife. At the Jacksonville Zoo, money from every ticket purchase goes toward animal research and preservation. They and many zoos all around are working to try and stop the extinction of beautiful species, and funds from tickets go towards this. If we teach our students about why it's important to protect wildlife, then we have the potential to help make a positive impact on the entire planet for years to come.
Zoos are an educational resource that I think many people take for granted. Some of my most memorable field trips when I was a kid were to the zoo, and I think it is very valuable to teach our future about the animals in zoos and why we have them. There is so much research and education going on at zoos, and exposing our students to this type of learning can be so enriching to them in so many ways.
So I end with this: If you have an opportunity to take either your students or kids that you know to any zoo, take advantage of it. There is so much to be learned when you step out of the classroom and into the wild.
