Frisch's Outreach

Bring the wonders of the world to your classroom!

Individual classrooms can experience fun, enriching and interactive learning experiences with live animal encounters. All programs are based on academic standards with pre and post activities available below!

Schools must be within a 30 mile driving distance of the Zoo and the cost is $30/ classroom (price will increase to $35/ classroom starting Jan. 1st, 2011). Payment is due 2 weeks prior to the program.

Because individual contact with the animals is an important part of this program, presentations are available only to individual classrooms of 30 students or less.

Be sure to schedule programs well in advance as dates fill quickly. We schedule many programs for schools across the tri-state. Check in with the teachers at your school and see if a Frisch's Program is already scheduled for your location. We are happy to do multiple programs in one day.

Because of the popularity of the Frisch's Outreach program we ask that if you must cancel a program you do so at least 30 days prior to the program, except in the case of unexpected emergencies. Last minute cancellations will result in a $30 cancellation fee.

Registrations accepted year round. Programs fill quickly so register early.

Questions or to register contact Frisch's Outreach at (513) 475-6152 or email frischs.outreach@cincinnatizoo.org

Who can participate?

  • Preschool*- 12th grade
  • Schools which are located within a 30-mile driving distance from the Zoo.
  • Because of the interactive nature of our program, we can accommodate no more than 30 students per group.

When are Frisch's Outreach Programs available?

  • Monday- Friday, September- May

How much are Frisch's Outreach Programs?

  • $30.00 per individual classroom of 30 students or less (price will increase to $35/classroom starting Jan. 1st, 2011).
  • Payment is due 2 weeks prior to the program. One total payment per program required. Individual checks per student will not be accepted.
  • Last minute cancellations will result in a $35 cancellation fee.

*Pre-K is for 3-5 year olds only.

What topics are available?

PreK-K

Now you can choose multiple programming options through participation in a series! Continue the learning experience by expanding on a topic. Each program compliments the others within the series as you explore a theme more in-depth. Choose one or more programs on the following topics:

Topic Description

Animals in Winter

Burr! It’s cold outside! Investigate how animals meet the challenges of winter survival. Pre & Post activities >

Animal "Tales"

Enjoy a wild story, and uncover the many extraordinary reasons why animals have tails. Pre & Post activities >

Animal Senses

Enter the world of the animals by listening, touching, smelling, and seeing. Find out how our five sensational senses compare to those of our animal friends! Pre & Post activities >

Also available as a series. If choosing to participate in a series pick from one or more of the following topics:

Growing up Wild

From the egg or the womb, we all have a lot of growing up to do! Uncover the secrets of life by exploring how different animals develop. Pre & Post activities >

Habitat, Sweet Habitat

Everybody needs a home! Explore different habitats while finding out how they meet animals’ needs for survival. Pre & Post activities >

Sorting Species

Hone your observation and sorting skills by classifying animals. Discover the world of our scaly, furry, and feathered friends! Pre & Post activities >

Also available as a series. If choosing to participate in a series pick from one or more of the following topics:

Walking with the Wild Ones

Animal Locomotion: Let’s get moving like kangaroos, snakes, and cheetahs! Explore how we can use our bodies to move like our wild neighbors. Pre & Post activities >

We're Likeable

Have you ever felt misunderstood? Even some animals get the wrong end of the stick. Meet them to discover how wonderfully likeable they really are! Pre & Post activities >

What Did You Say?

Can snakes speak? Can chickens chat? Can turtles tell? Do skunks discuss? Animals use lots of ways to communicate with each other and with us! Discover the secrets of how animals tell all about themselves and their wild ways! Pre & Post activities >

Z is for Zoo

Investigate the alphabet while creating phonemic awareness in your classroom. Listen for the many sounds of the Zoo! Pre & Post activities >

1-3rd Grade

Now you can choose multiple programming options through participation in a series! Continue the learning experience by expanding on a topic. Each program compliments the others within the series as you explore a theme more in-depth. Choose one or more programs on the following topics:

Topic Description
Animals in Winter Burr! It’s cold outside! Investigate how animals meet the challenges of winter survival.

Pre & Post activities >

Amazing Adaptations How can animals meet the challenges of survival? Find out just how adaptable animals really are! Pre & Post activities >
Classification

Compare and contrast differing species by sorting and classifying. Discover more about our furry, scaly, feathered, or invertebrate friends. Pre & Post activities >

Also available as a series. If choosing to participate in a series pick from one or more of the following topics:

Creepy, But Cool! Meet animals that some people feel are just too CREEPY! Take a closer look to discover how cool they really are. Pre & Post activities >
Habitat, Sweet Habitat

Everybody needs a home! Explore different habitats while finding out how they meet animals’ needs for survival. Pre & Post activities >

Also available as a series. If choosing to participate in a series pick from one or more of the following topics:

Inquiry 101

Begin your learning journey though Inquiry. Using your natural curiosity and the Process of Science you will observe, question, hypothesize, collect data, and share an exciting Inquiry experience with visiting Zoo animals.

*Three successive weekly sessions are required for this learning experience. Participants will also need to complete some Inquiry Tasks outside of the times the Zoo Instructor is present in the classroom.  

Wild Art Sketch a skink, draw a Dumeril’s Ground Boa, sculpt a snake, paint a parrot! Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo instructor and create a masterpiece from a not-so “still life” observation.  Through close examination and tactile encounters you can create Wild Art in your classroom with visiting Zoo animals as your subjects! We bring the zoo animals you provide the art materials!...how wildly creative you are! Pre & Post activities >
Wildlife Neighbors Meet some of our native animals; learn from their past to discover what their future may hold. Pre & Post activities >
What's for Dinner? From carnivores to herbivores, decomposers to omnivores, find out what’s on the menu for many types of animals in the food web. Pre & Post activities >

What Did You Say?

Can snakes speak? Can chickens chat? Can turtles tell? Do skunks discuss? Animals use lots of ways to communicate with each other and with us! Discover the secrets of how animals tell all about themselves and their wild ways! Pre & Post activities >

Wild Writing!

Write wildly about wonderful Zoo animals! Pen a poem, a narrative, a persuasive essay, a letter, or a report after visiting with live Zoo animals in your classroom! Through close examination and tactile encounters with the animals you can enrich your writing experience. Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo Instructor and the Zoo animals for a Wild Writing experience! You determine the writing form, provide the writing materials, and then explore how to write wildly! Pre & Post activities >

4-6th Grade

Now you can choose multiple programming options through participation in a series! Continue the learning experience by expanding on a topic. Each program compliments the others within the series as you explore a theme more in-depth. Choose one or more programs on the following topics:

Topic Description
Amazing Adaptations How can animals meet the challenges of survival? Find out how truly adaptable animals really are! Pre & Post activities >

Biodiversity

Discover the unique and rich variety of life in our natural world. See how the differences in plants and animals work together in a healthy ecosystem. Pre & Post activities >

Classification

Try your hand at classifying some animals! Discover similarities and differences among varying classes and species.

Also available as a series. If choosing to participate in a series pick from one or more of the following topics:

Creepy, But Cool! Meet animals that some people feel are just too CREEPY! Take a closer look to discover how cool they really are. Pre & Post activities >
Inquiry 101

Begin your learning journey though Inquiry. Using your natural curiosity and the Process of Science you will observe, question, hypothesize, collect data, and share an exciting Inquiry experience with visiting Zoo animals.

*Three successive weekly sessions are required for this learning experience. Participants will also need to complete some Inquiry Tasks outside of the times the Zoo Instructor is present in the classroom.  

Rainforests Uncover the secrets of the abundant life found in one of the most diverse habitats. Did you touch something from the rainforest today? Pre & Post activities >
Safari

Explore different regions of our planet. Investigate what makes them unique and how animals are able to survive in these places. Choose one or more of the following topics:

  • Africa – From the Sahara to the Congo, we will investigate how animals can survive in this place of extremes. Pre & Post activities >
  • Australia – We will take a look at the interesting wildlife found down under. Pre & Post activities >

Talk It Up!

Explore how animals “talk it up”! Discover all of the ways animals communicate with each other and with us! What are they saying about their wild world? Pre & Post activities >

Wild Art Sketch a skink, draw a Dumeril’s Ground Boa, sculpt a snake, paint a parrot! Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo instructor and create a masterpiece from a not-so “still life” observation.  Through close examination and tactile encounters you can create Wild Art in your classroom with visiting Zoo animals as your subjects! We bring the zoo animals you provide the art materials!...how wildly creative you are! Pre & Post activities >
What's For Dinner Predators and prey play starring roles in the food web. Find out how they impact the transfer of energy throughout our ecosystems. Pre & Post activities >

Wild Writing!

Write wildly about wonderful Zoo animals! Pen a poem, a narrative, a persuasive essay, a letter, or a report after visiting with live Zoo animals in your classroom! Through close examination and tactile encounters with the animals you can enrich your writing experience. Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo Instructor and the Zoo animals for a Wild Writing experience! You determine the writing form, provide the writing materials, and then explore how to write wildly! Pre & Post activities >

7-12th Grade

Now you can choose multiple programming options through participation in a series! Continue the learning experience by expanding on a topic. Each program compliments the others within the series as you explore a theme more in-depth. Choose one or more programs on the following topics:

Topic Description
Amazing Adaptations

How can animals meet the challenges of survival? Find out how truly adaptable animals really are! Standards & Resources>

Animal Communication

Explore the fascinating way animals communicate. Discover the secrets of how animals will use communication to survive in our wild world. Standards & Resources>

Biodiversity

Discover the unique and rich variety of life in our natural world. See how the differences in plants and animals work together in a healthy ecosystem. Standards & Resources>

Classification

Try your hand at classifying some animals! Discover similarities and differences among varying classes and species. Standards & Resources>

Also available as a series. If choosing to participate in a series pick one or more of the following topics:

  • Mammals
  • Birds
  • Reptiles
  • Amphibians
  • Insects & their Relatives
Endangered Species

Why can survival in the wild be so difficult? Discover some of the causes and ways that we can help. Standards & Resources>

Predator-Prey Relationship

Predators and prey play starring roles in the food web. Find out how they impact the transfer of energy throughout our ecosystems. Standards & Resources>

Rainforests

Uncover the secrets of the abundant life found in one of the most diverse habitats. Did you touch something from the rainforest today? Standards & Resources>

Safari

Explore different regions of our planet. Investigate what makes them unique and how animals are able to survive in these places. Choose one or more of the following topics:

  • Africa – From the Sahara to the Congo, we will investigate how animals can survive in this place of extremes. Standards & Resources>
  • Australia – We will take a look at the interesting wildlife found down under. Standards & Resources>
Zoo Careers

This program investigates the different types of jobs it takes to run the zoo, from driving the train to caring for the animals. Standards & Resources>

Wild Art

Sketch a skink, draw a Dumeril’s Ground Boa, sculpt a snake, paint a parrot! Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo instructor and create a masterpiece from a not-so “still life” observation.  Through close examination and tactile encounters you can create Wild Art in your classroom with visiting Zoo animals as your subjects! We bring the zoo animals you provide the art materials!.. .how wildly creative you are! Standards & Resources>

Wild Writing!

Write wildly about wonderful Zoo animals! Pen a poem, a narrative, a persuasive essay, a letter, or a report after visiting with live Zoo animals in your classroom! Through close examination and tactile encounters with the animals you can enrich your writing experience. Partner with a Cincinnati Zoo Instructor and the Zoo animals for a Wild Writing experience! You determine the writing form, provide the writing materials, and then explore how to write wildly! Standards & Resources>

More opportunities

Would you like programs for Enrichment Day, Library Period, Physical Education Class, or another education event? We can tailor programs to meet your needs! Contact us for more information.

Questions? or to register contact Frisch's Outreach at 513-475-6152 or email frischs.outreach@cincinnatizoo.org

Schools don't forget we offer overnights and you can visit the Zoo at a discounted rate.

Frisch's Outreach programs are great pre-visit activities! Schedule one today.

Interested in bringing the Zoo to your private event or party. We do that too. Learn more about the Wildlife Comes to You program.

Thanks to Frisch’s Big Boy Restaurants, Inc. for providing the generous grant that allows the Cincinnati Zoo to engage so many students in wild learning!