SOAR outreach program overview

Exciting and educational SOAR programs bring the science EALRs to life using students' natural fascination with raptors to teach about animal characteristics, ecological systems and field research.

Three SOAR outreach programs are available to
King County schools during the 2007/2008 school year. See below for program descriptions.

Program dates and outreach kits are limited and they fill quickly, so make your reservation early!

For further information about SOAR, please contact the Registrar at 206.548.2424 or janel.kempf@zoo.org, or scroll down for registration information.

Owls, Who are They? (Pre K-3rd grade) This program introduces students to the fascinating world of owls and their adaptations for noctunrnal hunting. Visual and auditory props are incorporated to engage the interest of younger students. Raptor Ecology (4th -8th grade) This presentation focuses on food chains, ecology and the role of raptors in ecological systems. Threats to raptors, and the reasons raptors are often good indicators of environmental health, are also discussed. Field Research (7th-12th grade) In this program, students learn how field biologists make discoveries about the lives and ecology of wild raptors. Students will have an opportunity to see equipment used in fieldwork with raptors (such as leg bands and transmitters), and learn about a raptor field study conducted by Woodland Park Zoo and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. View Ferruginous Hawk Study for more information.

Special Events/Science Nights/Mixed Groups
Available on a limited basis. Please call the Outreach Registrar at 206.548.2424 or janel.kempf@zoo.org for more information and fees.

What is included in a SOAR program?
Programs include a visit from a live raptor to your classroom and are designed to augment your unit on birds, raptors, ecology or science careers. To help you prepare your students for the classroom visit, you will receive a free Raptor Teacher Packet and have the opportunity to rent a Raptor Discovery Kit when you make your reservation. In order to provide a quality experience, class sizes are limited to 80 students. We strongly recommend much smaller groups for preschool and kindergarten students.

Raptor Discovery Kits
Optional Raptor or Owl Discovery Kits may be rented for a period of two weeks, either following or preceding your program date. Feathers, bones, skulls, books, talons, owl pellet displays, and current news articles are just a few of the items you might find in one of these kits. The kits are available for a fee of $10 each; availability is limited. Kits must be picked up from and returned to the zoo's Seattle Rotary Education Center. See registration for details.

Times, Dates and Fees
Programs are approximately 50 minutes in length (shorter for very young students) and are offered Tuesday through Thursday between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. from September 5, 2006, through May 31, 2007. Programs are limited to King County. Class sizes are limited to 80 students and to encourage smaller groups, especially for preschool and kindergarten students, we discount the second consecutive program (see note below*).

• First program - $100.00
• Second program - $50.00
• Discovery Kit Rental - $10.00

*Second program discounts only apply if the second program start time is no more than 90 minutes from the start time of the first program (e.g., 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.) and both programs are the same type (e.g. two Owl programs, not one Owl and one Raptor Ecology).

Teachers participating in SOAR outreach programs agree to provide a safe and secure environment for the zoo's birds by:

• Notifying the school's principal and other necessary school staff of the presence of the birds and their location on school grounds. Students and school staff should not pass through the appointed room during the presentation.
• Removing all classroom animals from the presentation site.
• Reviewing basic safety guidelines with students prior to the arrial of zoo staff to include: no loud noises or exaggerated movements, no running, no attempts to touch the bird or any of the keeper's or bird's equipment.
• Providing a sturdy table (minimum size 2 feet by 4 feet) on which to place bird travel boxes
• Providing a suitable location where zookeepers and birds can comfortably stand at least 5 feet from the nearest student. The location may be in a classroom, auditorium or library setting.
• Having no more than 80 students present for each presentation without prior arrangements with zoo staff.
• Notifying the zoo at least two weeks in advance if the program time or date needs to be changed.
• Providing parking for the outreach van with easy access to the presentation site for the duration of the program.
  

SOAR Program and Kit Reservations
Please reserve your program and kit well in advance to get your preferred dates. There are a limited number of available program dates and they fill quickly. Discovery kits available for rent are also limited in number.

To reserve a SOAR program or kit, complete the SOAR reservation form (if you experience difficulty opening and printing the form you can obtain Acrobat Reader here) and return it with payment to:

Education Department—SOAR Registrar
Woodland Park Zoo
601 N. 59th St.
Seattle, WA 98103-5858

Payment may be in the form of a check or purchase order made out to WPZ-SOAR:

Please attach driving and parking directions to your reservation form.

For further information, please contact the Registrar at 206.548.2424 or janel.kempf@zoo.org.