Chicago Zoological Society

To make a reservation, call (708) 688-8372.

Ready for a change of pace? Take a teacher workshop at Brookfield Zoo!

Our expert educators will inform, entertain, and engage you as you explore a wide range of topics. The following classes carry ISBE credit (at no additional charge) for teacher recertification, and many provide optional college credit (for an additional fee).

Participants will receive a list of the corresponding Illinois State Standards for each class. For class lists, Illinois State Standards, and descriptions, check below, call Lanis Petrik at (708) 688-8372, or e-mail lanis.petrik@czs.org. Teachers outside suggested grade levels may attend and adapt materials for their own use.

2008 Brookfield Zoo Teacher Classes

How to Register

Send a check (made payable to Brookfield Zoo) to: Teacher Workshops, Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513.

Please be sure to include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address, as well as the name of the class for which you are registering. (Teachers outside the recommended grade ranges are welcome to attend and adapt materials for their own use.)


Important Information

Optional graduate credit is available for all classes.
Aurora University credit is available for $100 per hour or $75 per hour for multiple-hour classes. (Some classes carry science credit.)
Benedictine University science credit is available for $115 per hour.
Please register with National Louis University. (Many classes are offered.)

Continuing education credit is available free for all classes.

Graduate classes offer three CEUs per graduate hour. (Three CEUs = 15 CPDUs = 15 hours of professional development.)
Classes and events that are fewer than 15 hours offer one CPDU per contact hour.

Refund Policy

All class fees include a $25 nonrefundable registration fee.
Class fees, minus the $25 registration fee, can be refunded or transferred to another teacher class if we receive notice of this request at least five days prior to the date of the original class.

For more information, contact Lanis Petrik at lanis.petrik@czs.org.


Classes are each 2 days, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., unless noted. Teachers outside the recommended grade ranges are welcome to attend and adapt materials for their own use. Please note: cost includes a $25 non-refundable registration fee. Optional graduate credit ($100 per hour through Aurora University) is available for most classes for an additional fee. All courses offer free CEUs. 
 

Animals of the Night

April 18 (4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.) and April 19 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Pre-K to grade 4, $140, 1 Aurora University credit, 3 CEUs

Is Halloween your favorite day? Then you need to learn more about bats, owls, and the other creatures that fly, swim, slither, and crawl through the darkness! Have fun as we focus on animal information and inquiry activities, along with incorporating reading and writing in the classroom.

Science and Literature Series: Reading Our Landscapes

Please note: each title is a separate two-day class. Each teacher receives a book in each class.

Each class: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $140 per class, 1 Benedictine University science credit per class, 3 CEUs per class

The Salt Creek Watershed June 14 (at Brookfield Zoo) and 21 (at Fullersburg Woods Nature Center)

Changing Landscapes July 12 (at Spring Valley Nature Center) and 19 (at Brookfield Zoo)

Our Changing Prairies July 30 (at Brookfield Zoo) and August 6 (at Fermilab)

Remembering the Farm August 2 (at Geneva Park District) and 9 (at Brookfield Zoo)

Looking at the Landscape: Who Belongs? October 25 (at Benedictine University) and November 1 (at Brookfield Zoo)

Lions and Tigers and Bears!

June 27 (4:30 to 10:00 p.m.) and June 28 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Pre-K to grade 3, $140, 1 Aurora University credit, 3 CEUs

Look at some of the big animals that are favorites for young children. Discover predator/prey information and lifestyles, share fiction and nonfiction books, write stories and poems, and take home craft projects and pictures.

World Habitats

July 7 to 11 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day) Grades 3 to 9, $350, 3 Benedictine University science credits, 9 CEUs

Compare the elements of various biomes around the world: rain forests, grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, taiga, tundra, and oceans. Focus an individual study on the biome of your choice and the Brookfield Zoo animals that represent the fauna of your selection. We-ll include animal observations and genetic background on your species.

Extreme Oceans!

July 15 and 17 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day), All grades, $140, 1 Aurora University credit, 3 CEUs

The focus is on the wonders of the ocean world. Learn how mammals can dive to amazing depths, give birth underwater, and withstand cold ocean water. Observe birds that fly through the sea and animals that look like plants. During a special private visit to -Sharks! at Stingray Bay,- you may choose to feed these amazing creatures!

The Integrated Classroom: Science, Literature, and Math!

July 21 to 24 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day), All grades, $275, 2 Aurora University credits, 6 CEUs

Are you struggling to incorporate multiple curriculum demands into your classroom teaching? Learn how to effectively incorporate student-centered, inquiry-based methods with integrated, interdisciplinary approaches to your curriculum.

Animal Communication: Do You Hear Me Now?

July 25 (4:30 to 10:00 p.m.) and July 26 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Grades 6 to 12, $140, 1 Aurora University credit, 3 CEUs

From the obvious roaring of a lion to the nearly undetectable infrasound used by elephants, from the bright colors of the male peacock to the subtle postures of some species as individuals meet, animal communication is a fascinating topic! Observe animals and experience learning activities for your classroom.

Conservation Leaders

July 29 and 31 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day), All grades, $140, 1 Aurora University credit, 3 CEUs

Engage in activities and develop strategies and projects that will help you become a conservation leader for your students. Find out about the green activities and action list created by students at Brookfield Zoo. The class includes an outdoor conservation stewardship experience.

Critical Thinking

August 7 and 14 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day), All grades, $140, 1 Aurora University credit, 3 CEUs

Put your thinking cap on and discover ways to directly apply critical thinking models to your everyday teaching. The principles and science of critical thinking as a teaching model are introduced in this interactive class.

A Special Evening for Members, Educators, and Friends

October 3 (4:00 to 9:00 p.m.), All grades, $95, 5 CPDUs

Yes! It is our Teachers- Evening, back under a new name to welcome the noneducators who join us. Tours of the zoo, a great dinner, an after-dinner speaker, and activities will fill the evening. Sign up early as activity choices are made by number and your number is assigned as soon as you sign up. Come with colleagues from school or bring a friend. Be sure to remember your flashlight for the optional flashlight tour of the zoo at the end of the evening.