Veterinarian Bag Exploration for School Groups 4th-6th Grade

Introduction: This role-playing activity is designed to challenge students in 4th -6th grades to work together and think in a scientific manner. They will make observations, work with and manipulate data, change their ideas as new knowledge is gained and draw their own conclusions in an effort to solve a scientific problem – a polar bear with a medical problem. All of these steps are key skills in the critical thinking process.

Goals: Students will participate in the scientific inquiry process, requiring them to learn, reason, think creatively, and make decisions to solve a problem.

Objectives: While playing a role as a member of a veterinary medicine team, students will:

• Gather data about a polar bear with a medical problem
• Develop a diagnosis (hypothesis) as to the nature of the problem
• Re-evaluate their hypothesis when presented with new data
• Plan an appropriate course of treatment to solve the problem

IMPORTANT: This is a self-guided exploration for you and your students. The goal is for
you to guide your students through a critical thinking process and for them to develop
reasonable explanations to the data they gather. There are no definitive right and wrong
answers in this process. While there may be staff and volunteers in this exhibit during your
exploration, they will not be able to devote all of their time assisting your students with their project. Please assure your students that science is a way of thinking and finding wrong conclusions is just as important as finding conclusions that prove to be true.

Teachers must register in advance for this program. Class size is limited to 30 students per session.

Registration for the Vet Bags program is independent of any other bookings made with Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Registrants are expected to make separate arrangements for transportation and admission to the Zoo. To reserve your field trip and admission to the Zoo, please call 216-635-3391. You must book admission to the Zoo at least 30 days prior to your visit.

To register for Zoo Bus transportation click here.

Vet Bags at the Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine (PDF)