Partners in Science

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo has served patrons for over 80 years as Connecticut's only zoo. They are an accredited member of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) and are open year-round with exhibits of almost 300 animals – including several endangered species such as tigers and bears. Nearly 43 000 students visited the zoo as part of school-based field trips in 2004. The zoomobile, which brings animals, artifacts, and activities to children within a 55 mile radius of the zoo, visited 70 towns in 2004. Many programs are offered for children and for schools, including:

• In-depth fact-filled details about all the animals living at the Zoo
• Classes and programs offered at Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo for school groups.
• Teacher's Guides to the Zoo for purchase
• Scavenger Hunts to print are available on-line for teacher use
• Hands-on Lab Activities for students at Professor Beardsley’s Research Station
• Activities for children during the summer and vacations
• A Zoomobile that will travel within a 55 mile radius of the Zoo
• A Zoo Crew program for teens
• A Zoo Tots program for children ages 18 months to 3 years old
• A Zoo Patrol summer program for children ages 7 to 15
• A free Adult Lecture Series on various environmental themes

Professor Beardsley's Workshops-Year Round-series of lecture and hands-on lab work. Hands-on workshops at the Zoo featuring a lecture and a lab component. These programs combine natural history, interactivity and inquiry-based learning.

Teacher Preparation
Teachers may purchase guides to the Zoo. They may also prepare scavenger hunts from print copies made available by the zoo and obtainable on their web site. Class groups are accommodated from kindergarten to graduate level. The website can be used to plan fieldtrips, and money can be saved by pre-booking and by printing out scavenger hunts to enhance a visit. Zoomobiles, Animal Encounters & Professor Beardsley’s Workshops are the most popular school programs, but much more is offered. The Zoo can provide many different teaching opportunities from art and creative writing, to cultural studies and math, and of course, zoology, botany, ecology and all of the life sciences can be studied here. With staff, teachers can plan more ways that the Zoo can enhance curriculum by calling the Zoo’s Education Department at 203-394-6563.

They Are Open:
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
Contact Information:
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
1875 Noble Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06610

Main Number: (203) 394-6565
Education Department: (203) 394-6563
Web site: http://www.beardsleyzoo.org/

To view aligned field trips at Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, visit our
Science Framework Resources Database