Tuesday 19 May and Wednesday 20 May were extremely exciting days for our Year 7 students, as Wild Action Zoo visited our College along with a variety of beautiful Australian animals. Liv from Wild Action Zoo presented a workshop to each Year 7 class covering a variety of topics related to the Living Things Unit our students are currently studying in Science. Below are some highlights and reflections written by our Year 7 students for this memorable event.
The Wild Action Zoo incursion was fun and interesting. We got to see and learn about so many different animals. We learnt about their adaptations, their Linnean classification, and other cool facts. Some of us even got the chance to hold the animals. My favourite animal personally was either the wombat, or the talking cockatoo. The cockatoo was really cool. He said things like ‘Hello’, and ‘How's it going?’ Overall, it was a really great experience.
Alice M 7A
The Wild Action Zoo Presentation was an extremely engaging experience. We saw all kinds of animals, some of which are going extinct and that we may never see that close again. Our presenter was engaging and told us which Phylum, Class, and Kingdom the animals were in, giving us a more scientific experience and helping us connect with what we are learning in class. It was overall very enjoyable!
Hannah L 7B
The Wild Action Zoo Incursion was extremely interesting and captivating. I was amazed at the beauty and cuteness of all the animals. Feeling most of the animals was definitely a highlight, who knew a crocodile's skin would feel like fabric??? My favourite bit must have been when I was chosen to hold an echidna. It was surprisingly heavy, but definitely a special moment for me and the other girls who were lucky enough to hold one of the animals. The Wild Action Zoo Incursion was a memorable experience, and something that I will never forget.
Milla P 7C
There were many highlights for me! Some of them were:
- Being able to hold the snake. I was lucky enough to be picked to hold the black headed python. It was really cool as I was able to overcome my fear of snakes. The snake sat on the back of my neck and in my two hands. When it was in my hands, it felt funny because when it moved, I could feel the muscles moving in my hands. It was really fun to be able to interact with the snake.
- Being able to pat the animals was another highlight. It was so cool to be able to feel the animal’s bodies and how they were different. I was expecting the echidna to be spikey however Liv told us to pat it a specific way. When I ran my hand down the echidna, it felt like I was running my hand down a hairbrush. We were able to feel a lizard, snake, wombat, cockroach, frog, and crocodile.
- When Liv bought out the different birds, it was really cool how she was able to show us the wings. She bought out a parrot that was able to speak English, she could get it to say ‘Hello’ and ‘How’s it going?’, it was fascinating! When Liv bought out the owl, she was able to let it fly back into it’s cage and that was really cool. Next Liv bought out the bat, which she pretended to drop and it spread its wings as if it was going to fly off.
Something that I enjoyed about the experience, was being able to learn so much about different animals, that I never knew before. For example, I thought that when lizards and snakes stick out their tongues, it meant they were hunting for food however, they are actually sniffing out their surroundings and smelling where their prey and predators are.
Another thing I enjoyed was being able to have the opportunity to hold the animal, pat it and identify the different scales, spikes and fur the different animals had.
Overall, the Wild Action Zoo experience was really fun and interesting, and I would definitely recommend it to others my age!
Lucy H 7D
I really enjoyed the Wild Action Zoo experience in Science because it was a fun and exciting way to see and learn about different animals. Liv the wildlife handler was extremely kind and nice, and the animals were very friendly. We also got the chance to hold some of the animals, which was very thrilling and enjoyable! Overall, it was a fun, engaging and unique experience that doesn't really happen that often, so I'm extremely grateful to be able to participate! I had an amazing time learning and seeing all the different and beautiful animals!
Zoe T 7E
Wild Action Zoo bought wonder into the classroom and helped students develop a sense of courage and confidence, not only just being confident to hold or touch an animal, but courage to learn in a fun way. This engaging experience, along with the teachings from the workshop, can be used in the future. This will be a long-lasting memory that I am sure many students including myself will hold onto forever, as a teaching, but also the fun this experience bought. The workshop highlighted the need to care for our animals. Students encountered many diverse animals that may be on their way to becoming extinct! It was a moment of learning, growth and connection that I am certain many students will remember for a long time to come.
Allegra J 7F
Assimina Semertjis
Science Learning Leader
