All guests, including members, will need to either reserve a time or purchase a timed entry ticket prior to visiting the North Carolina Zoo. Please take the time to review our reimagined guest experience and protocols before buying tickets to the North Carolina Zoo. (Spanish)
Zoo Classroom is our distance learning series available to K-12 audiences. Each program features one of our popular in-person programs broadcasted live to you at home. Students and teachers can submit questions during the event, for our educators to answer.
What do you need to know about the programs?
September Programs - Registration link for September Programs
9/10/2020 Inside Out - Let’s bring the inside out and discover how an animal’s skeleton tells us a lot about their behavior.
9/17/2020 Animal Symphony - Have you ever wondered just how sound works sometimes without even making noise? This program will talk about how important sound is for all animals, even for animals without ears, vibrations are the key to communication!
9/24/2020 Getting the Gist of Giraffes! - Join us as we learn about the majestic giraffe. These gentle giants of Africa have some amazing features that make them stand out in the animal world!
For questions or further information email our Community Education Coordinator.
If you would like to purchase a private Zoo Classroom program for your class or group please email SchoolPrograms@nczoo.org.
African Safari - Join us on a safari to get SMART about the technology rangers use to protect African animals. Through the discovery of these animals’ adaptations, participants will learn about the different conservation projects the North Carolina Zoo partners with in this diverse continent.
Amazing Adaptations - Can you smell your food from miles away? Is your tongue purple or blue? These are just a couple examples of the many adaptations that animals use for survival. Together we will uncover more unique ways living things can adapt to their habitats and why biodiversity is crucial to the health of our planet.
Animal Architects - Discover some of the creative ways animals build their homes, nests, or community housing. Learn how we can help protect habitats so these crafty critters can continue to be amazing architects!
Arctic Awareness - The cold, white Arctic is actually full of life, but this fragile ecosystem is in trouble. We will share how many animals of the Arctic survive in this frigid home, what's happening to this unique habitat, and some simple things we can all do to help it stay nice and cold up there.
Backyard Buddies - Whoooo's in your backyard? We'll explore what native species can be found in North Carolina and why they are important to the overall health of our state.
Magical Metamorphosis - How does an animal go from eggs to legs to wings? We will explore the amazing lifecycles of insects and amphibians, investigate the vast physical changes these animals go through in their journey of life, and how the North Carolina Zoo is saving many of these magical species.
Magnifi-senses - Some owls love to eat skunks! Ok, so maybe their sense of smell is not great, but luckily they have other excellent senses that help them survive. Explore many more sense-sational adaptations and how the Zoo uses this information to aid in our animal’s welfare.
Primate-palooza - Come investigate more about the four types of primates that call the North Carolina Zoo home. Whether it’s gentle gorillas or chatty chimpanzees, learn about communication and behavior of these peculiar primates and the Zoo’s role in protecting them in their natural habitats.
Reptacular Adventures - Slither on in and learn some “cool” facts about these cold-blooded creatures! Let’s bust some myths about these misss-understood animals to better appreciate their important roles in the world.
Things with Wings - Did you know the fastest animal in the world is a bird and the most important animal in the world are bees? Fly in and discover more about these winged wonders and how to “bee” more pollinator friendly.
To Eat or Not to be Eaten?! - Food chains link all life together. Discover how diet is connected to the type of animal teeth, how some animals avoid being on the menu of others, and why to not break the chain.
Have you ever used your sleuthing skills to identify a mysterious skeleton? Size, shape, and so much more can be used to connect the clues in this program all about being a bone detective.
You won’t find these animals on the Hollywood walk of fame, but if you look up to the stars you will see them! Through stories, artifacts and a few live animals we will explore a number of animal constellations.
Just like people, animals of all shapes and sizes can be athletes too! Join us as we engage in fun activities, meet live animals and explore unique biofacts as we demonstrate different animal skills and talents.
Change is everywhere but some animals take it to the extreme! Join us to learn how tadpoles become frogs and why metamorphosis is such a fascinating type of life cycle.
Can an owl turn its head all the way around? Do opossums hang from their tails? Can a cockroach actually survive a nuclear war? With the help of some live animals, animal artifacts and some interactive fun, we will bust some of these common animal myths!
To go along with this program we have an elephant pledge that you can choose to participate in. Select an activity to pledge to do this year and then color the page to signify your commitment.
Some owls love to eat skunks! Ok, so maybe their sense of smell is not great, but luckily they have other excellent senses that help them survive. Explore many more sense-sational adaptations and how the Zoo uses this information to aid in our animal’s welfare.
Ever wonder how the North Carolina Zoo takes care of so many different animals? Tune in and learn about what it takes to care for some of the smallest to the largest animals.
Discover some of the creative ways animals build their homes, nests, or community housing. Learn how we can help protect habitats so these crafty critters can continue to be amazing architects!
Afraid of the dark? After this program, you may have a greater appreciation for things that go bump in the night! Using biofacts and a live animal or two, we will explore the world of some nocturnal animals.
Whoooo's in your backyard? We'll explore what native species can be found on the east coast and why they are important to the overall health of this region.
Can you smell your food from miles away? Is your tongue purple or blue? These are just a couple examples of the many adaptations that animals use for survival. Together we will uncover more unique ways living things can adapt to their habitats and why biodiversity is crucial to the health of our planet.
Slither on in and learn some “cool” facts about these cold-blooded creatures! Learn how each group of reptile is unique and their own way and why and how to better appreciate these misss-understood animals.
We usually consider them to be the creepy crawlies of the world, but these important animals are only literally "spine-less." Learn how invertebrates rule the world by keeping us and the world around us healthy.
Come join us on an adventure exploring our important waterways from the mountains to the sea. As we travel down these waterways, we will be using biofacts and live animals to connect our native wildlife to these vital ecosystems.
Did you know the fastest animal in the world is a bird? Fly in and discover more about these amazing avians! Beautiful biofacts and a live animal will help give you a better appreciation of these winged creatures.
Did you know that many different kinds of wildlife have jobs like people do? Come discover more about ant farmers, tortoise landlords, bird dentists and so much more!
Just like candy has a wrapper to protect it, animals have special coverings that protect them from the outdoors. Amazing biofacts and some live animals help us tell the story of fur, feathers, scales, and more.
Get your safari hat on as we go on an adventure through Africa and learn about some of the amazing animals that call this place home. We will get to meet a few friends along the way and see some cool biofacts.
Some of the coolest animals and habitats are found in swamps. Tune in as we explore swamps and the critters that call it home!
Food chains help us identify who eats what...or whom. Participants will discover how much information can be found in an animal's skull, how teeth determine what you eat, and how some animals avoid being on the menu of others.
Not all heroes are human, some come in the four-legged variety! Join us as we learn about some unconventional heroes of the animal world and meet a few live ones!
Pack your suitcase and join us for a trip around the world to explore some unique habitats and how animals survive in them!
Problems Registering for the Program
Please contact our Community Education Coordinator for assistance.
Did not receive the information on how to attend the program
Can I share the link with my students or my group?
Originally, we did give teachers and group leaders the ability to share the link directly with their students. Then unfortunately we had some issues with some of the participants and decided to discontinue the ability to share. When you share the link, the entire group logs in under the same username, so if one person causes issues we can not kick them without kicking the entire group. Which of course is not fair to those who are participating appropriately and enjoying the program. Here is the list of options for groups:
We just want to give everyone the best experience possible and create a safe environment for all - participants and presenters.
A live Facebook series with fun, educational presentations about animals and nature every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. EST.
Come explore the scientific world with us. Each Tuesday we will present a new science experiment you can try at home (with your parent’s permission of course).
