Long, tapering Snakes, giant cylindrical bodied millipedes, nocturnal cockroaches, hairy tarantulas and green slimy frogs all came crawling into school on Friday. The animal handling laboratory, Zoo Lab, invited seventy Year 9 students on a journey through the many layers of a tropical rainforest, from the dark forest floor to the dizzy heights of the canopy. The Ranger spoke about the following topics; location of the world’s Rainforest, the Tropics, Deforestation, Biodiversity, Adaptations of Rainforest Animals, the forest floor, understory, canopy and emergent layer. Many of the students bravely volunteered to handle some of the creatures which gave them a great experience and was a superb way to learn more about the rainforest. Expert questions flowed throughout the workshop as the knowledgeable students were keen to ask about the various rainforest creatures and contribute to the discussion.
The Ranger was engaging, dynamic and cared deeply about her job. For two hours on Friday morning, Southlands High School became the tall, dense jungle of the rainforest and all the students adapted well to the climate!
“Students really enjoyed the experience, particularly being able to touch the creatures and hearing about the ways they have adapted to live in the forest.” Jennifer Washington
“ZooLab delivered an imaginative animal handling workshop that demonstrated a real passion for the work they carry out and provided an exciting experience for students. Southlands aims to provide superb learning experiences and by inviting the Rainforest Roadshow into school it is a great example of how we excel ourselves to achieve this for our students.” Mark Fowle, Head Teacher.
Leading the way 