Mr. Bailey's 5th Grade Class

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The 4th and 5th grade classes of Wardlaw Academy ventured to Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC to see just what happens after the public goes home. The students entered the Zoo as it closed with their sleeping bags in hand. The first stop was the Educational Building, where they began their class, "Web of Life". They focused on adaptations, food chains and webs, characteristics of different animals, and so much more. The class gave them a wonderful base for lots of questions and ideas. As the evening wore on, the instructor took them on a night hike to explore the Zoo, making stops at the Commissary to learn how the food is prepared, then on to the koala house, and the gorilla house. The students also stopped at the aquarium. There, they were taken behind the display areas to see everything from how the coral grows, to tanks and pumps, to the top of the large saltwater tank. Then, they went into the night cages of the elephants. The next morning, the instructor discussed all that the students had seen and learned. It was a fascinating look into the many aspects of the Zoo.