2nd Grade St. Louis Zoo Field Trip Worksheet | Science, Math & English

Instructions

1. Bring this worksheet, a pencil, and a clipboard if you have one.
2. Walk safely with your group. Stay with your adult or teacher.
3. Use animal signs, exhibits, and observations to complete each activity.
4. Do not tap on glass, feed animals, or enter animal areas.
5. If you cannot find an answer, make a careful observation or ask a zoo educator.

Field Trip Mission: You are a zoo scientist! Explore the St. Louis Zoo and collect clues about animals, habitats, numbers, and animal needs.

1. Animal Observation Hunt

Find four different animals. Draw a small picture or write the animal’s name. Then record what you notice.

Example:

2. Animal Body Clues

Choose one animal you saw. Circle or complete each answer.

1. My animal has:

   • fur
   • feathers
   • scales
   • a shell

2. My animal moves by:

   • walking
   • flying
   • swimming
   • crawling
   • hopping
   • another way: ____

3. My animal uses this body part to help it survive: ____

4. This body part helps because ____.

Hint: Think about claws, beaks, wings, fins, hooves, teeth, tails, or camouflage.

3. Habitat Match-Up

Draw a line or write the letter of the habitat that best matches each animal.

A. Rain forest
B. Savanna or grassland
C. Desert
D. Ocean or river
E. Cold or snowy place

1. A polar bear: __
2. A giraffe: __
3. A fish: __
4. A snake: __
5. A monkey: __

4. Zoo Math

Solve each problem. Show your thinking with a drawing, number sentence, or words.

1. You see 6 flamingos and 4 ducks. How many birds are there altogether?

   Answer: __ birds

2. There are 12 fish in a tank. You see 5 swimming near the top. How many fish are swimming lower in the tank?

   Answer: __ fish

3. Your group sees 3 animals before lunch and 7 animals after lunch. How many animals did your group see?

   Answer: __ animals

4. A zoo map shows 15 minutes to the penguins and 10 minutes to the sea lions. How many minutes is that altogether?

   Answer: __ minutes

5. Challenge: There are 4 groups with 3 students in each group. How many students are there altogether?

   Answer: __ students

5. Compare and Sort

Choose two animals you saw. Complete the chart.

Example:

6. Listen and Look Like a Scientist

Find a quiet place to observe an animal for two minutes.

1. What animal did you watch? ____

2. What did it do first? __

3. What did it do next? __

4. What sounds did you hear? __

5. What question do you still have? ____

7. Design a Better Animal Home

Imagine you are designing a safe home for one zoo animal.

1. My animal is a __.

2. It needs these things:

   • Food: _____
   • Water: ____
   • Shelter or shade: __
   • Space to move: ____

3. Draw the habitat below. Label at least three parts.

8. Kind Zoo Visitor Checklist

Put a check mark next to each safe and kind action.

• [ ] I stayed with my group.
• [ ] I used a quiet voice near the animals.
• [ ] I kept my hands away from fences and glass.
• [ ] I did not feed the animals.
• [ ] I put trash in the correct place.
• [ ] I followed directions from adults and zoo staff.

9. Exit Ticket

Complete these sentences before leaving the zoo.

1. The most interesting animal I saw was __ because ____.

2. One thing animals need to survive is ____.

3. One way people can help animals is _____ ____.

4. Draw a star next to your favorite activity:

   • Animal hunt
   • Animal body clues
   • Zoo math
   • Habitat design
   • Watching an animal

Optional Challenge

Choose one animal you saw and use the sign or a zoo educator to find out one special fact. Write the fact and explain why it is interesting.

Animal: __

Special fact: ____

Why it is interesting: ____

Answer Key

1. Animal Observation Hunt: Answers will vary. Accept any four animals and reasonable observations based on the animal signs or exhibits. Example answers may include penguin, water and land, fish, and swims quickly.

2. Animal Body Clues: Answers will vary because students choose their own animal. The selected body covering, movement, and body-part explanation should match the animal observed.

3. Habitat Match-Up:

1. E — Cold or snowy place
2. B — Savanna or grassland
3. D — Ocean or river
4. C — Desert
5. A — Rain forest

4. Zoo Math:

1. 10 birds
2. 7 fish
3. 10 animals
4. 25 minutes
5. 12 students

5. Compare and Sort: Answers will vary. Students should identify two animals, make a reasonable size comparison, describe how each moves, and state one true similarity.

6. Listen and Look Like a Scientist: Answers will vary. Accept observations that describe something the student actually saw or heard.

7. Design a Better Animal Home: Answers will vary. A complete answer should name an animal and include food, water, shelter or shade, and space to move. The drawing should label at least three habitat features.

8. Kind Zoo Visitor Checklist: All six actions are safe and kind choices.

9. Exit Ticket: Answers will vary. Look for a complete sentence, a real animal need such as food, water, air, shelter, or space, and a helpful action such as protecting habitats, reducing litter, or treating animals respectfully.

Optional Challenge: Answers will vary. The fact should be supported by a zoo sign or information from a zoo educator.