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Lets say I take my children to the zoo, other than finding out information that the zoo provides (tour person or from labels), what are some ways to help them learn more about different environments and species?

Hi Evelyn, 

You could show your students clips from Zoboomafoo episodes! The quality isn't super good, but it's still watchable and definitely interesting. You could also read them books. There are many books about all kinds of different animals, you could start with the ones that your students know or are guaranteed to see at the zoo like lions, elephants, or tigers. You could start by just talking with your students about different animals that live in very different places. For example, 'What kind of place does a shark live in? What does it look like? Is it hot or cold? What do they eat?..... What about a Lion? Does a Lion live in the water? What does it look like where a lion lives? Is it hot or cold? Showing them pictures of animals in their habitats would be great too!

Evelyn, I have found some of my best children's books about nature and the environment in my local library. Also, you might try some pbs shows like Wild Kratts and Nature Cat. They give kids a lot of info about plants, animals, and habitats and are fun for kids to watch as well. Teachers Pay Teachers is also a great website to look for resources and lesson plans about the environment, habitats, plants and animals.