VIRTUAL PROGRAMS
Join our animal care and education team for an opportunity to Get Closer to our animals from the comfort of your learning space. Suitable for classrooms, non-school groups, home school groups, community groups and more. Let us bring conservation, education and adventure to you!
Explore the Edmonton Valley Zoo from the comfort of your own classroom! Tailored to meet the Alberta curriculum and its applicable age groups, but flexible for any viewer, these interactive programs highlight some species not always seen during on-site programs and often exhibit behind-the-scenes highlights. After the video concludes, join a member of the zoo education team for an interactive Q&A session.
Wetland Wonders
Dive into the heart of wetlands and explore the vital role those ecosystems play in preserving biodiversity, and witness our passionate conservation efforts to save Rocky Mountain Northern Leopard Frogs from extinction. The video is a delightful blend of education and entertainment, featuring enchanting footage and highlighting the urgent world of wetland conservation. After the credits, join a live Q&A session with a member of our dynamic education team to deepen your understanding and become a champion for wetland conservation. Don’t miss this opportunity for a fun, informative, and interactive experience that will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the magic of wetlands!
Video Length: 24 min + Q&A
Target Audience: Upper Elementary
Curriculum Links: Wetland ecosystems; interactions & ecosystems; endangered species & conservation; relationships between animals and humans.
Fee: $90
Food Chains and Foragers
Discover all there is to see through a captivating exploration of movement for a number of small crawling and flying animals that call the zoo home! From the aerial acrobatics of bats to the steady, rhythmic movements of hedgehogs and armadillos, discover the secret lives of these small wonders and their vital roles in their ecosystem’s food chain. Stay tuned afterward for a live Q&A session with our expert education team, where you can unravel the mysteries of these mini marvels. Join us for an enchanting journey blending education with entertainment for a front-row experience to nature’s tiniest and most charismatic performers!
Video Length: 29 min + Q&A
Target Audience: Lower Elementary
Curriculum Links: Food chains in various ecosystems; classifying animals within food chains; small crawling & flying animals; animal movement.
Fee: $90
Tiger Tales: Ecosystems & Interactions
Embark on a virtual safari like no other as you immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Amur tigers! Together we’ll explore the importance of species interactions and ecosystems as this captivating video delves into the lives of these critically endangered big cats and highlights the ripple effect of human impact on their wild habitats. Marvel at the tigers’ majestic presence as they take center stage as charismatic ambassadors at the zoo. From their playful antics to the crucial role they play in ecosystem balance, followed by the purr-fect encore – a live Q&A session with a member of our passionate education team.
Video Length: 26 min + Q&A
Target Audience: Junior High/Upper Elementary
Curriculum Links: Interactions & Ecosystems; endangered species.
Fee: $90
Seasonal Secrets of Canadian Carnivores
Embark on an immersive virtual journey that delves into the world of Arctic wolves, North American river otters, snowy owls and more as we shed light on the adaptations that enable these magnificent creatures to navigate the ever-changing seasons. Learn about their shifts in behavior, from strategic migrations to the art of hibernation. Following the video, engage in a live Q&A session with a member of our education team, where you can deepen your understanding and satisfy your curiosity about these remarkable animals. Join us for an educational odyssey that brings the wonders of Canadian wildlife directly to your screen.
Video Length: 29 min + Q&A
Target Audience: Lower Elementary
Curriculum Links: Seasonal changes; winter animal adaptations.
Fee: $90
Basic Needs of Aquatic Species
Virtually dive into the arctic waters with our seals! Guided by a zoo host, your classroom will be virtually toured around the Arctic Shores exhibit of the Edmonton Valley Zoo. Learn about what is required to take care of an aquatic species, peek behind the scenes where the public doesn’t get to visit and learn all about seal adaptations to assist with their survival in arctic waters. Afterwards, a live Q&A will take place with a member of the zoo’s education team to discuss what you just learned.
Video Length: 32 min + Q&A
Target Audience: Lower Elementary
Curriculum Links: Basic needs of plants & animals, human & animal interactions, how to care for animals, animal adaptations.
Fee: $90
FARMYARD FRIENDSHIPS
Get ready for a farmyard adventure! Embark on an exploration into the delightful world of the many domesticated animals found on farms in Alberta as we uncover how these amazing animals help humans meet their basic needs. Discover the buzz about our bees, get the scoop on our sheep, and find out why goats are the G.O.A.T.! Plus, learn how our actions can help protect the plants and animals in the world around us. Stick around after the video for a live Q&A with one of our zoo educators who can answer any questions you have, and provide even more farm fun!
Video Length: 23 min + Q&A
Target Audience: Lower Elementary
Curriculum Links: How humans depend on animals to meet our basic needs, human impacts on animals and plants, animals seen in Alberta, protecting animals in local environments
Fee: $90
A Day in the Life of Red Pandas
Virtually climb into a day in the life of Red Pandas at the Edmonton Valley Zoo! Guided by a zoo host, we’ll embark on a wild adventure through the world of zookeeping and learn all about what it takes to take care of animals at a zoo. We’ll even get a sneak peek behind the scenes where the public doesn’t get to visit and learn all about other jobs at the zoo & how they help maintain our beautiful zoo. We will also touch on the conservation advocacy & efforts that connect the work we do at the zoo to greater conservation efforts. Afterwards, a live Q&A will take place with a member of the zoo’s education team to discuss what you just learned.
Video Length: 25min 45sec + Q&A
Target Audience: Lower/Middle Elementary
Curriculum Links: Basic needs of plants and animals; human and animal interactions; how to care for animals; endangered species and conservation; relationships between animals and humans
Fee: $90
Evolutionary Wonders in Madagascar
Leap into the magical world of lemurs on an exciting virtual expedition! Journey to Madagascar’s diverse ecosystems and uncover the unique plants and animals that thrive there. Learn about the evolution, adaptations, and survival strategies of lemurs, Madagascar’s charismatic primates. Discover the dynamic relationship between humans and lemurs, and explore how global conservation efforts are crucial for their sustainability. Join us for an adventure that highlights the importance of community action in protecting lemurs and their habitats. After the journey, participate in a live Q&A session with one of our zoo educators to deepen your understanding of these fascinating creatures!
Video Length: 24min + Q&A
Target Audience: Upper Elementary
Curriculum Links: Plant growth and changes; interactions and ecosystems; endangered species and conservation; relationships between animals and humans
Fee: $90
Camels
Get ready to virtually embark on the hottest and coldest journey ever as we dive into the world of camels! Learn all about these unique animals and what makes them so adaptable to their environment. Our zoo host will virtually lead you as you get to better understand these large mammals and even get a sneak peak behind the scenes where the public does not get to visit. Afterwards, a live Q&A will take place with a member of the zoo’s education team to discuss what you just learned.
Video Length: 30:35 min. + Q&A
Target Audience: Lower Elementary
Curriculum Links: Hot & Cold Temperatures
Fee: $90
NEW VIDEOS COMING SOON!
Keep checking back, as we’ll be adding more exciting new videos to our Virtual Series!
STEP 2: BOOK YOUR PROGRAM
Due to the popularity of our programs, we do require a minimum of 1 month advance notice for reservation requests and all applications will be processed in the order received. Upon completion of this form, we will contact you to go over details and availability before the reservation is confirmed.
Please be prepared with the following information to make your booking:
* Program Name (Virtual Zoo Experience)
* 2-3 potential program dates
* School mailing address, including postal code
* School telephone and fax number
* Contact name and names of teachers for all classes being booked
* Email address(es) of teacher(s) booking and attending the program
* Number of children attending
* Special needs / accessibility arrangements
STEP 3: WATCH YOUR VIDEO
Meeting Invitation
The interpreter assigned to lead your program will contact the individual who booked the program at least 3 days prior to your field trip, to confirm details with you and provide the meeting link/invitation. The interpreter will contact you by email. If you haven’t heard from them, please check your spam folder.
Video Playback – Program Structure
Tours will be on a zoo-hosted platform (Google Meet or Microsoft Teams), participants will be contacted in advance and sent the invitation to access the program.
When you join the video call, we will be presenting a “Starting Soon” screen, which is playing a video. This is a good time to confirm your volume settings for the video.
We will communicate with you in the beginning through the “Chat” section of the meeting. Please be able to write a reply to us, just in case microphone communication isn’t reliable so we can still have a conservation. We will say hello and ask for you to confirm when you are ready to go. We will wait until the booked starting time to begin the video if we don’t hear anything from you.
At the start time of the program, the video will be started by the zoo and will play in full. There will be at least one intermission during the video to be used as a chance for teachers to get participants up, moving and refocused and/or lead a discussion based on the video topic. You will let us know in the chat or through your microphone when you are ready to return to the video. Recording of the program is not permitted at any time.
Required Equipment to Participate
- Access to Google Meet or Microsoft Teams
- A strong internet connection
- Projector and/or computer with speakers
- Ability to type questions or speak into a microphone
- Optional: pencils & paper for participants to write down questions throughout the video
Intermissions
Our videos all include 1-2 guided intermissions, where we pause the video and encourage teacher-lead discussion. This is to provide an opportunity for students to stand up and stretch, as well as provide some conversation around the program curriculum theme. Teachers will let our team know when students are ready to un-pause the video and continue.
** IMPORTANT: At least one adult is required to remain with the group to facilitate intermission conversation and movement breaks, as well as support the chat/microphone usage during the question and answer session.
STEP 4: THE FAQ SESSION
After the video has finished, a zoo educator will join you on camera for a live, interactive question and answer (Q&A) discussion with participants – lead by your group! Once the group is out of questions, the program will be over and the virtual call will end.