Design a Zoo 5E STEM Project
Post by Kristina Klammer
Posted: July 1, 2024
Have you ever wanted to own a zoo? With this STEM challenge, you and your students can! In this challenge, teachers and students take on the mission of designing a zoo for the public. Each student chooses an animal to research and to become an expert in. Through engaging in-class discussions and completing introductory research, they will investigate the pros and cons of wild and captive living for animals and the many varied needs that animals have. Building from this experience, students will then apply these concepts to design their own model zoo enclosures, including enrichment for their animal and an interpretive zoo exhibit sign.
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Why Zoo Design?
Whether giraffes or lions, students often have a favorite animal! This project draws on students’ natural interest and allows them to become an expert in an animal of their choosing. Students are able to practice their research and engineering skills and learn how to search for information, cite sources, test and iterate on designs, and document their design process.
Students will:
Learn about what animals need from their habitats.
Investigate how zoo habitats can replicate wild habitats while still meeting the needs of zookeepers and zoo visitors.
Understand that different elements of animal caretaking, habitat requirements and stakeholder needs all contribute to a zoo enclosure design.
Be able to list the five different types of enrichment and understand the benefits of enrichment.
Design a model zoo enclosure for a specific animal.
This project connects well with an Ecology unit. It is aligned with the following NGSS Standards for Elementary and Middle School:
3-5-ETS-1-2: Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
MS-LS2-5: Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
MS-ETS1-1: Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
Zoo Enclosure Design Project Overview
The STEM project takes about twelve, 45-min sessions to complete. It is broken up into four parts that align with the 5-E Model.
Engage: Zoo Enclosure Observations
In part one, students look at photos, live cams or visit a real zoo to observe zoo enclosures. Students will generate questions they have and take notes about things they notice. They will also take on the perspective of either an animal caretaker, a zoo visitor, or the animal to consider how different perspectives can influence design solutions.
Explore: Practice Designing Zoo Enclosures
Next, students will learn about components of a zoo enclosure design, and they will examine examples of each component. They will receive information about an animal and practice designing each component of a zoo enclosure for different animals
Explain: Select and Research a Zoo Animal
In part three, students use provided sources to research a chosen zoo animal. They identify habitat and feeding requirements, and practice taking research notes and citing sources. Students also get an inside look how their project is applied in a real-world STEM Career of an animal caretaker or landscape architect.
Elaborate & Evaluate: Brainstorm & Design a Zoo Enclosure, Final Presentation, and Reflections
In part four, students brainstorm their designs by creating a detailed design sketch of their zoo enclosures. They then build models of their zoo enclosures, and design animal enrichment as well as an interpretive exhibit sign. Students present on their final design and explain the reasoning behind their design choices, and answer reflection questions to reflect on what they learned during the project.
Materials Needed
To implement this project, you will need materials for students to build models of their zoo enclosures. Here is a recommend list of some of the materials you may need:
Hot glue guns and hot glue sticks
Twigs, leaves, sand, stones (can be collected from outside)
4 packages model magic clay
Recycled materials (cardboard, egg cartons, milk cartons, boxes, plastic cups)
Brown/green sheets felt, or fake grass
Popsicle sticks
Roll of plastic acrylic (for “glass”)
Tips and Tricks for Implementation
The following are a few helpful tips as you implement this challenge in your own classroom:
Students are easily swayed by examples, so don’t give them any hints.
Some students will struggle to find information about their animal. Try creating a list of recommended sources for students, or create research “stations” where they be grouped together based on the question they are researching.
Certain building materials will be very popular, especially the model trees and animals if those are included. Consider limiting certain materials to only a few for each student and make sure to order enough for each student.
Use lunch trays or something similar to help reduce the mess. Have a broom and dustpan available to clean up the small building pieces that will inevitably end up on the floor!
Additional Resources
Here are some videos I love using during the STEM Zoo project:
Want to implement this activity in your classroom or program?
Check out our full teacher and student STEM guide here. This includes editable teacher slides and student handouts for each step of the project, and a rubric for assessment.
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