Birmingham Zoo

The Birmingham Zoo will use grant funds to support its Africa Zoo School program, which will serve 1,200 students and 40 students over two years. In partnership with Birmingham City School, the project will target all seventh-grade students within the city. Participating students, most attending low-performing schools, will attend a week-long “Zoo School” session, where they will be introduced to the Trails of Africa exhibit and will work through related curriculum. The exhibit is the basis of an interdisciplinary experience to teach about the crisis of the elephant species' survival in Africa, the cultures of people in Africa, and the scientific and engineering research involved in sustaining these populations. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which they can adapt to the classroom and home.