Night Owls
Posted at 3:52 pm November 14, 2006 by Mary Zanotelli
The Education Department's sleepover program at the Wild Animal Park"”appropriately called Night Owls"”is drawing to a close for another season. While the program means late nights ("til 11 p.m.) and early mornings (starting as early as 5:30 a.m.) for educators, it's also one of our favorite programs.
Night Owls is designed for school children in grades 3-6, so each year features a theme that's age-appropriate and that supplements the teachers' curriculum for that grade level. This year, the theme was " Adaptations." As the school groups arrive, we load their luggage into vans, then take the students on a private Wgasa Bush Line Railway tour. After the tour, we get the students and their chaperones settled into their tents, give each of them an official Night Owls glow-in-the-dark T-shirt, then everyone enjoys a yummy barbecue together. After dinner, groups are rotated between three stations: at one, they engage in active outdoor games developed around the lesson plan. At another, students learn more about the chosen subject matter, then complete a related craft. Finally, the campers see for themselves how useful adaptations are as they meet some ambassador animals up close.
Of course, no sleepover would be complete without s'mores, hot cocoa, and warm cider! By now, sweatshirts and flashlights are necessary, and everyone gathers around the campfire for animal adaptation stories and silly songs. Some songs come complete with goofy dances, but everyone participates and gets a good laugh.
I haven't had the pleasure of joining the overnight portion of the program, but I'm told that the tents are comfortable and that the rhinos do more than snore"¦apparently, some of their sounds are smelly as well as loud! Native neighbors sometimes show up overnight, too. Students tell us they've heard great horned owls, seen mule deer, and even encountered the occasional skunk (which, fortunately, always seems to be headed in the other direction)!
At any rate, everyone certainly seems to be in a good mood when it's time for the wake-up call the next morning. And why shouldn't they be? Waiting at camp is a hearty breakfast and a warm shower. After breakfast, it's time for an early-morning hike, especially exciting because the Park hasn't even opened to the public yet. This is a great chance for the kids to see some of the animals at their most active. At a special behind-the-scenes presentation area (with an amazing view of San Pasqual Valley), the groups are treated to one more animal encounter. This year, the special guest was an alligator! By the time the Wild Animal Park opens and guests begin filing through the turnstiles, our Night Owls are finishing up their special Park experience.
Each season, we receive letters and calls from Night Owls participants, telling us how much the students enjoyed the sleepover program and how much they learned in the process. Each of the letters makes the rounds through the Education staff. Here are some new arrivals that we all thought were especially sincere:
" Dear Mary,
Thank you for showing me the alligator. It was very cool. I wish I could go back in time and see it all again!
From, Kennedy"
" Dear Education Department,
Thank you for the trip on the tram. Thank you for teaching us how to memorize the differents (sic) between an Indian rhino and an African rhino. That was a very cool springhaas. It was funny when it went by our feet. The funnest part was when we got to sleep in the tents.
Sincerely, Trevor"
" Dear Night Owls staff,
Thank you for such a wonderful time! I really enjoyed the hot chocolate, the sausage, the tents, and the food! I want to really thank you for the T-shirts.
My favorite thing was the food. Man, that was the best dinner and breakfast and hot co-co I've ever had. If I could, I'd get bad grades so I can get held back and do this again. Man, I had such a blast.
Thanks for the "blast!'
Love, Griffin"
" Dear Night Owl Staff,
Thank you for such a wonderful time. My favorite parts were when we had the animal visits and when we got to see the gibbons and the rail tour. It was so awesome. I learned a lot from this program. Again, thank you.
Sincerely,
Devin
P.S. Don't tell anybody this, but I learned the most."
" Andy, Larkin, Dave, Mary, and Teri,
Thank you for teaching us about addapidtachions (sic) and taking your time out of your work to spend time with the fourth grade. I hope I can do it together again.
From, Wyatt"
Apparently, spelling lessons weren't included in the Night Owls program, but that's one of the most endearing parts of receiving thank you letters from the kids we teach! From all of the Night Owls staff, Thanks, kids! We hope to see you when we do it all again next spring!
Mary Zanotelli is an educator at the Wild Animal Park.
Here's more information about Night Owls.
Here's information about other sleepover programs at the Park and the San Diego Zoo.
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November 15th, 2006 at 11:12 am
What a great program! You educators are the greatest!!
November 16th, 2006 at 9:31 am
Sounds like a fabulous experience for students and teachers! Wish I were young enough to go. Sounds in the night, and visiting animals at their naturally more active hours are great opportunities for students to learn things " outside the box." They get to experience what most people, young or old, only read and dream about.
Great job educators!!!!