Denver Zoo Summer Safari Wild Dog Logo

Zoo Stealth Squad

2nd and 3rd Grade

Camp Description

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to track some of the world’s most covert and treacherous creatures. Campers will uncover incredible animal abilities and explore the zoo to learn how adaptations, such as camouflage, venom, and the ability to stalk silently, make animals super survivors!  To successfully track these nearly invisible and almost silent animals, you’ll have to sharpen your science skills and strengthen your powers of observation.  Make sure to snag a spot in this elusive camp before they all disappear. This message will self-destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2…

Week Overview

 

Monday

  • Question of the Day:
    • AM: How can large animals, like gorillas, make themselves nearly invisible? 
    • PM: What can you design to make yourself nearly invisible while out in the zoo?  How would you hide yourself?
  • Zoo Exploration: Primate Panorama
  • Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
  • Engineering Challenge: 
    • Campers camouflage an animal. What is camouflage?
    • What animal did you choose? How did you camouflage your animal?
  • Further Exploration: Giraffe, Zebras, Camels, P. Horses, and/or Asian Elephants, Malayan Tapirs, Greater One-horned Rhino

Tuesday

  • Question of the Day:
    • AM: What makes zoo cats undetectable to their prey?
    • PM: Can you create an ultimate stalking cat that could survive in Denver?  What kinds of large cats survive in Denver? 
  • Zoo Exploration:  Predator Ridge and The Edge
  • Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
  • Engineering Challenge:
    • Campers design the ultimate undetectable stalking cat
    • What did you design? What adaptations made it undetectable?
  • Biofact Exploration: What are biofacts? What did we see
  • Further Exploration: Other sneaky predators – komodo dragons, snakes, eagles, fishing cats

Wednesday

  • Question of the Day:
    • AM: How do land animals use venom differently than ocean animals?
    • PM: Why do animals use venom? 
  • Zoo Exploration: Tropical Discovery and Stingray Cove
  • Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
  • Engineering Challenge:
    • Venom Test Kitchen
    • What did you design? How did you test it? Did it work?

Thursday

  • Question of the Day:
    • AM: Why do animals have different scents, and how are they used?
    • PM: What makes the most stinky repellent?  Can you create a stinky concoction of smells to help your animal? 
  • Zoo Exploration: Toyota Elephant Passage, penguins, flamingos, lorikeets – focus on stinky animals!
  • Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
  • Engineering Challenge:
    • Campers design a stinky concoction of a scent that would help their animal
    • What did you design? How did it help your animal?
  • Further Exploration: Harmony Hill, Game
    • What game did we play?

Friday

  • Question of the Day:
    • How do some animals use “supersonic” senses? 
  • Zoo Exploration: Outdoor bird exhibits
  • Engineering Challenge:
    • Campers finalize their creatures for home
  • Further Exploration: Tropical Discovery – focus on animals that have great sense of hearing (bats, wild dogs, hyenas)

Reminders

  • Camp runs in rain or shine. Make sure your camper is dressed for the weather.
  • Campers are required to bring:
    • Backpack
    • Sack lunch + 2 snacks
    • Water bottle
  • Please note the day your child’s camp group will take a walking field trip to the City Park H20 Odyssey Fountains. While playing in the fountains, campers must keep their camp shirt and pants/shorts on – quick dry shoes and shorts are recommended on this day, but not required. Campers are welcome to bring a change of clothes, but are usually dry by the time we return to the zoo.
  • Drop-off and Pick-up occurs at the Special Programs Entrance (Gate 1), according to their designated time window. 
    • Drop-off:
      • 8:45-9:00 AM – 6-8th Grade + 2-3rd Grade 
      • 9:00-9:15 AM – 4-5th Grade + K-1st Grade 
    • Pick-up:
      • 3:45-4:00 PM — 6-8th Grade + 2-3rd Grade 
      • 4:00-4:15 PM – 4-5th Grade + K-1st Grade 
  • You will need to bring an ID every day for pick-up.

Contact Us

If your camper liked Summer Safari, they will LOVE Fall, Winter, and Spring Safari Mini-Camps! When school is out, Safari Camp is in! These camps run from November through March. There’s a Safari for every season!

Email Us