Science News

Year 7 Zoo Excursion

Monday and Tuesday of this week saw our Year 7’s getting on the bus and heading to the Melbourne Zoo – the sun was shining, the animals were out and our Vermont Secondary College students were amazing! 

All Year 7 students are currently studying their Biology Unit, with a focus on classification and ecology. This part of the curriculum aims for students to understand that there are differences within and between groups of organisms and classification helps us to organise this diversity. The unit also examines food webs and interactions within a particular habitat and the adaptations that allow animals to survive in their environment. 

The Melbourne Zoo is the perfect place to appreciate the diversity of our Animal Kingdom, but it also provides opportunities to consider conservation and ethics; when we consider zoos it’s important for the students to think about the issues that surround such places. We want our students to ask questions, to consider different ethical perspectives, such as animal welfare, animal rights and whether or not housing animals in enclosures does benefit them in the long run. There are no right or wrong answers, but the discussion is an important one! 

Well done to Ms Richards for organising the excursion and thank you to all of the teachers that attended on the day. But the biggest thank you goes to our students – we are very proud of the way that you conducted yourself and represented Vermont Secondary College.