Rowan Class had a wonderful visit this week from Kirsty from ZooLab – what a perfect way to introduce our new core text, Clean Up! We are beginning to learn all about how pollution is a danger to our world and the animals that share it.

During the visit, we met some fascinating creatures. First, we met Lucy the cockroach. The children were very brave and many of us had a go at holding or gently stroking her! We learnt some surprising facts too – did you know that cockroaches breathe through their bodies, with breathing openings at the back? We also met another cockroach who can make a hissing sound to warn off predators, which everyone found very funny!

Next, we met Willow the tarantula. The children were incredibly calm and respectful while observing her. We also met Cammy the tree frog. We learnt that Cammy is an amphibian, which means her skin is not waterproof. Because of this, she drinks through her skin. This helped us understand why pollution is so dangerous – harmful substances in the environment can be absorbed into her body.

Kirsty also taught us about how climate change is affecting animals around the world. We learnt that as the weather becomes hotter, some animals are at risk of becoming extinct because they cannot adapt quickly enough to the changes in their habitats.

Finally, we met a corn snake, who felt cool to the touch. The children loved having the opportunity to hold and stroke the snake. We learnt that snakes cannot regulate their body temperature like humans can, so hotter weather can be harmful for them.

It was a fascinating and memorable visit, and it has really helped us begin to understand how important it is to take care of our planet and protect the animals that live here. We are very excited to continue our learning through our new book Clean Up!