Learning comes alive

Year 7 stepped into the world of classification with real creatures, real habitats and real excitement.

Year 7 students recently took part in an engaging science excursion to Taronga Zoo, where they explored real‑world examples of animal classification and adaptations. Through a zookeeper-led workshop and close‑up encounters with a range of species, students deepened their understanding of how animals survive, thrive and fit into scientific classification systems. The experience brought classroom learning to life and sparked plenty of curiosity and conversation on the bus ride home.

Student reflections:

‘The highlight of the trip was an incredibly informative talk about desert animals, where we learned how unique creatures like the Desert Scorpion, Ring-Tailed Possum and Bilby survive in such harsh, arid environments. It was fascinating to discover the amazing physical and behavioural adaptations these animals use to stay cool, find water and, not just stay alive but, thrive. Overall, the trip was a fantastic blend of fun and learning.‘
Zerene Doshi

‘I had an amazing time walking around, exploring different exhibits, and learning more about dingoes, seals, and penguins. It was an experience I will never forget.‘
Natalia Seely

‘Our excursion to Taronga Zoo was fascinating and very interesting to learn about what animals do to survive and how some of them act in nature.‘
Liliana Azzi

‘In the rainforest classroom there were colourful bleeding-heart and nicobar pigeons walking around next to us and cute cotton-top tamarin monkeys climbing on vines above us.‘
Keira Donald

‘We learnt about how rainforest animals survive in the wild and how their body protects them from any danger. We got to pet a tortoise and feed different types of birds which was really fun.‘
Nina Millard 

‘In a nutshell, our excursion was highly entertaining and informative, providing us with lots of scientific content that will benefit us both in our present and future.‘
Abby Deng

‘It was a fun and memorable excursion that helped us learn more about wildlife and conservation.‘
Marla Samaan

‘I felt like this excursion was very interesting and exciting, as I both got to learn about animals but also got to make opportunities to make new friends from Core 3.’
Beatrice Jiaxin Xu

‘We saw an old, empty cage and learned an amazing fact: real zoo animals actually used to live inside it. It was two bears per cage and included a little bath! We went inside to take a look and I have to say it was pretty tight.‘
Abby Micallef

Natasha Kempers
Head of Science