Nursery

A visit to Amazonia Compliments experiences and outcomes in the second level of the curriculum for excellence including the outcomes:

SCN 0-01a I have observed living things in the environment over time and am becoming aware of how they depend on each other.

SCN 0-12a I can identify my senses and use them to explore the world around me.

HWB 0-47a I recognise that we have similarities and differences but are all unique.

SOC 0-08a I explore and appreciate the wonder of nature within different environments and have played a part in caring for the environment.

Before your visit:

1. Take the opportunity available to teachers to visit us free of charge before your booked group visit. This will allow you to ask the staff at Amazonia any questions you may have about your visit. You will also be able to familiarise yourself with the layout and animals of Amazonia.
2. These are some of the animals we have at Amazonia. Assign each child an animal but don’t let the children see what kind of animal the others are, ask them to pretend to be that animal, move like it, make the sounds it might make then find the other animals of the same kind.

Parrots

Monkey

Royal Python

Red eyed tree frog

Koi carp

When they have found the other members of their species show them pictures of these other animals and ask them to sort them into groups based on skin covering: Fur, feathers, skin, wet scales, dry scales. There are pictures of all these animals that can be coloured in and made in to a display

Toucan

Kinkajou

Iguana

Poison dart frog

Angelfish

For all underlined animals I would like a download of a Poster style photograph with the animal’s name and an outline drawing for colouring in

During your visit.

Your structured visit to Amazonia will last for 2 hours and be organised into 4 sections which are described below. Please note that if your group is late one or all of these may have to be cut short to accommodate other groups. It is your responsibility to be on time. These sections may not occur in this order. We recommend that you allow extra time for lunch and visiting the gift shop and you are welcome to revisit the rainforest area following your allotted time if you wish. It may be possible to organise a shorter visit for young children, please phone Amazonia ahead of your visit to discuss your requirements

1. Your Guided Tour (approx 45 minutes).

During this time the children will be guided around Amazonia by one of our experienced education team. For the nursery school tour your guide will stop at a wide variety of animal enclosures and talk with the children about the animals they are seeing. Alternatively you may choose to let the group wander more freely through Amazonia and during this time and your guide can talk with the children less formally answering questions and pointing out hard to see animals. There may even be an opportunity for the children to feed the fish. During this time there will be the opportunity to have a break before the next activity.

2. Your Handling Session (approx 30 minutes).

Your groups handling session will last for around 30 minutes, during which time the children will get the chance to touch and hold 2-3 different animal species. We have a wide variety of animals available in the handing room from creepy crawlies to snakes, lizards and even frogs! If there is any particular theme you wish for your session please phone ahead and let us know and we will do our best to accommodate this. Please note however that no particular species can be a guaranteed at anytime.

3. Your Own Free Time (approx 15 minutes).

You are free to look around yourselves. Your ranger guide will be on hand to provide further information and answer any questions. This time may be used to complete any worksheets the class may be working on or to have a look at any animals not covered during the tour and revisit their favourite animals.

4. Amazonia interactive (approx 30 minutes)

The children are split into groups to enter our brand new interactive exhibit where they are ‘transported’ into a rainforest scene to find out more about the animals that live there. Amazonia interactive can accommodate up to 12 children at any time and each group will spend 10 minutes in the room. Activity tables are set up outside for children not in the interactive room

After your visit.

1. Show the children a picture of a cricket (or maybe even a box of live crickets which are easily available from many pet shops), an animal we use to feed many of the animals they may have seen in Amazonia, and see how many animals they can think of from their trip that would like the cricket for a tasty snack
2. Have the children see if one by one they can each name a different animal they saw in Amazonia. Write down each animal they name. Now go around the children again reminding them which animal they named and get them to say one thing they know about that animal, what colour was it? What does it eat? Use some of the pictures from the pre visit activity to see if they can remember seeing each of the animals
3. Get the children thinking about how many amazing creepy crawlies we can see right here in Britain. Place half a melon with the insides scooped out upside down in damp shaded area outside the class room. Each morning they can look and see how many different creepy crawlies have moved into the new home you’ve made for them.

Toucan (Colouring Sheet PDF)

Kinkajou (Colouring Sheet PDF)

Poison dart frog (Colouring Sheet PDF)

Angelfish (Colouring Sheet PDF)