Quarry Bay School Zoo
A how to guide....
Philosophy
Our aim was to provide the students with an opportunity to learn from and about living things. We wanted the students at QBS to experience the responsibility and joy of relationships with pets that they rarely get the chance to do in Hong Kong.
Our pet family is largely rescued from the SPCA.
Our pet family is largely rescued from the SPCA.
Hermit crabs changing shells
teaching the younger children how to hold the animals
cuddling the guinea pigs
How it works
Weekend Fostering
Students get the opportunity to care for the animals over the weekends and school holidays.
As it is a big responsibility we ask that parents contact the school via the Gateway and animals are 'booked' on our Learning Platform.
Only the lead teachers have access to the spreadsheet to avoid confusion and pets are administered on a Friday afternoon with clear instructions and care booklets.
Nibbles guinea pig with her baby Eve
Gremlin the teddy bear hamster
Viva the gerbil who was rescued from a rubbish bin
Daily Care
'Vets' and 'Zookeepers' are chosen from Year 5 & 6 Students and work on a rotation basis.
Their jobs include feeding, changing water, helping with cleaning out cages, keeping general Zoo area tidy, instructing the younger student body on how to hold, pet and care for the animals.
Vets and Zookeepers are on duty during break and lunchtimes to assist with the care and handling of the animals particularly as the zoo is extremely popular with the younger students.
A parent volunteer comes in to thoroughly clean the cages twice a week.
Their jobs include feeding, changing water, helping with cleaning out cages, keeping general Zoo area tidy, instructing the younger student body on how to hold, pet and care for the animals.
Vets and Zookeepers are on duty during break and lunchtimes to assist with the care and handling of the animals particularly as the zoo is extremely popular with the younger students.
A parent volunteer comes in to thoroughly clean the cages twice a week.
Learning opportunities
There are many obvious parts of the POI where the animals may be of benefit to the students throughout the units of inquiry. The Zoo is a valuable asset to the teaching of the PYP attitudes as well as providing opportunities to allow the students to sketch, observe, or inspire them to write stories.
Benefits to Children
Throughout the six months the Zoo has been operational, hundreds of students have had the benefit of the animals in some form.
For some it has removed their fear of living things, others have never had the chance to hold or touch an animal before. Many students whose parents cannot allow them to own a pet have experienced the joy of a weekend visitor.
We have a variety of animals which means that all students have the chance to foster an animal that suits their home environment ( reptiles for students with fur allergies, small hamsters for those in small apartments).
The zoo has sustained in popularity, increased in animals and benefited the whole school community.
For some it has removed their fear of living things, others have never had the chance to hold or touch an animal before. Many students whose parents cannot allow them to own a pet have experienced the joy of a weekend visitor.
We have a variety of animals which means that all students have the chance to foster an animal that suits their home environment ( reptiles for students with fur allergies, small hamsters for those in small apartments).
The zoo has sustained in popularity, increased in animals and benefited the whole school community.
older children take a lot of responsibility
many children enjoy looking after the animals
The zoo is very popular
Action
Many students have been inspired to help animals that need homing by getting their own pet from the SPCA, raising money for a variety of animal causes or taking some form of action within the zoo.
Visit Us!
If you would like more information or would like to visit our Zoo to see it in action please contact us at Quarry Bay School, we would love to see you.
lisa.davies@qbs.edu.hk or kate.ringrose@qbs.edu.hk
lisa.davies@qbs.edu.hk or kate.ringrose@qbs.edu.hk