Ford Education Center Field Trips


Give your class a healthy dose of Vitamin Z!

All field trip programs take place in one of our themed studios in the Ford Education Center. Programs generally include a dynamic presentation using an interactive white board, a hands-on activity and/or biofact discovery time. Programs are available at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Wednesday - Friday, unless otherwise noted. Current booking availability can be found here.

 Home Habitat Home is Where the Habitat is
Audience: Kindergarten - Grade 2 Offered: Year Round
State Correlations: Science: L.OL.01.13, L.OL.01.11
Whether up in a tree or down in a hole, there’s no place like home. Come discover the
animals that spend their lives in water, temperate forests, polar regions and more. We’ll
cover living and non-living aspects of each habitat and animal basic needs.
   
 Life Cycle Life Cycles
Audience: Grade 1 Offered: Year Round
State Correlations: Science: L.OL.01.21, L.HE.01.12
All living creatures grow and change. Students will explore the unique life cycles of
insects, amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals through an interactive presentation.
   
 Wild World It’s a Wild, Wild World
Audience: Grade 3
State Correlations: Science: L.OL.03.42
Short and tall, big and small – the animal kingdom has them all! We’ll view many Zoo animals, see how they are classified and look at similarities and differences. By the end of the program, students will know how to tell the difference between invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
   

Creature Feature

 Creature Features
Audience: Grade 3
State Correlations: Science: L.OL.03.42, L.EV.03.12
All programs are 45 Come learn all about adaptations! We’ll define what an adaptation is and how they help animals survive in their natural habitats. We’ll learn about the unique physical minutes in length and characteristics that animals have developed over time.
   

web of life

 Web of Life
Audience: Grade 4
State Correlations: Science: L.EC.04.11, L.EV.04.12
Everything in nature is somebody else’s dinner! Explore feeding relationships among organisms and discover what happens when those relationships are disrupted.
   

survive thrive

 Survive and Thrive
Audience: Grade 5
State Correlations: Science: L.EV.05.11, L.EV.05.12
Why do birds fly south for the winter? Why do zebras have stripes? This insightful presentation will explore both the physical and behavior adaptations that help animals survive in their environments.
   
 Connected It’s All Connected
Audience: Grade 6
State Correlations: Science: L.EC.M.2
All life is interconnected. We will examine Great Lakes ecosystems while exploring how energy flows through the ecosystem. Discover what happens when the flow is disrupted and how humans impact the ecosystem.
   
 

Junior Zoologist Backpack Program
Audience: Grades 6-8
State Correlations: Science: E.ES.M.4, B3.4A, B3.4B, B3.4C
Groups will divide into up into groups, each group receives a backpack with materials that will lead them on an educational adventure through the Zoo. Groups will learn about adaptations, the web of life and much more. Groups will be self-guided in the Zoo without a classroom component. Program is offered Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
 

 

habitat design2

Zoo Habitat Design
Audience: Grades 7-12
State Correlations: L3.p2B
Rainforest frogs to polar bears, come learn how the Detroit Zoo takes care of each animal’s needs! Students explore how habitats are developed and the special accommodations the Zoo makes for all of the animals. We will also look at the journey zoos have taken to get where they are today.

 

 
 biodiversity

Biodiversity 911
Audience: Grades 7-12
State Correlations: E.ES.M.4, B3.4A, B3.4B, B3.4C
How big is your footprint? Participants will develop an awareness of dangers facing animals and natural habitats. We will focus on how zoos are involved in conserving the environment and all its inhabitants. Learn how you can help, too!

 

 
 Zoologist Camp

Career Program
Audience: Grades 7-12
State Correlations: Educational Development Plan
Do you belong in a zoo? Discover the many fascinating opportunities available from a variety of career fields. Even if science is not your chosen field, there may be a place for you!