Phoenix Zoo

The Phoenix Zoo, in partnership with TERC, a non-profit education and resource development organization, will train 450 zoo and aquarium education professionals to understand and incorporate mathematics into educational programs such as interpretations, tours, and workshops. Through a series of 20 workshops held at zoos and aquariums across the country over two years, workshop participants will learn to plan programs that integrate the use of math with living animal collections. Mathematics is an important and underappreciated aspect of working with animal collections that can be highlighted for the public. Animal work provides young people with a much needed example of an everyday application of math. Workshop participants will develop their own activities and test them at their respective facilities. Successful educational programs will be shared and will become part of a body of programs that institutions can adapt and use.