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Nocturnal Adventures Curriculum Manual 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION……………………………………….……….…………………… pp. 3-4 CHAPTER 2: THE NUTS AND BOLTS………………………………………….……………….pp. 5-10 CHAPTER 3: POLICIES…………………………………………………………………………………….p. 11 CHAPTER 4: EMERGENCY PROCEDURES……………..……………………….………….pp. 12-13 CHAPTER 5: GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION………………………….………..pp.14-17 CHAPTER 6: OVERNIGHT TOURS I - Animal Adaptations………………………….pp. 18-50 CHAPTER 7: OVERNIGHT TOURS II - Sleep with the Manatees………..………pp. 51-81 CHAPTER 8: OVERNIGHT TOURS III - Wolf Woods…………….………….….….pp. 82-127 CHAPTER 9: MORNING TOURS…………………………………………………………….pp.128-130 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION What is the Nocturnal Adventures program? The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden’s Education Department offers a unique look at our zoo—the zoo at night. We offer three sequential overnight programs designed to build upon students’ understanding of the natural world. Within these programs, we strive to combine learning with curiosity, passion with dedication, and advocacy with perspective. By sharing our knowledge of, and excitement about, environmental education, we hope to create quality experiences that foster a sense of wonder, share knowledge, and advocate active involvement with wildlife and wild places. Overnight experiences offer a deeper and more profound look at what a zoo really is. The children involved have time to process what they experience, while encountering firsthand the wonderful relationships people can have with wild animals and wild places. The program offers three special adventures: Animal Adaptations, Africa Predator Prowl, and Sleep with the Manatees. Activities range from a guided tour of zoo buildings and grounds (including a peek behind-the-scenes) to educational games, animal demonstrations, late night hikes, and presentations of bio-facts. What does a Nocturnal Adventures Instructor do? A Nocturnal Adventures (NA) Instructor leads small groups through the zoo while teaching one of our three educational programs. Duties include: 1) pre-program set-up, 2) post-program clean-up, 3) participant supervision, 4) providing breakfast, and 5) animal demonstrations. Instructors consult with the Assistant Coordinator at hand regarding all immediate issues that occur during a program. All other issues are reported to the Program Coordinator. What are the benefits of being a Nocturnal Adventures Instructor? Nocturnal Adventures instructors are provided with an excellent opportunity to develop public speaking and people management skills. Instructors gain skills of interpretation, organization, animal handling, and an understanding of varied educational concepts. You will work with individuals who share a common interest in the natural world. The CZBG provides a unique learning environment! Where else could learning be so fun? As a zoo employee, you are also entitled to a 25% discount at the gift shops, and a 50% discount at food vendors. You are allowed free, individual entrance to the zoo during regular hours (when not working). If you would like to bring a guest, they must have an admission ticket and must enter via an open point of sale entrance to the Zoo. Please request guest tickets in advance from your Coordinator. For free admission to the Barrows Lecture Series, please contact your Coordinator about volunteering for the event. Your badge is required to receive benefits. **You may contact the Program Coordinator, in advance, to get tickets if you would like to invite guests with you to the zoo. What are the desired qualities of a Nocturnal Adventures Instructor? Our instructors come from diverse and varied backgrounds. Some have experience in biology, others in education, and others may have no formal experience in either. One thing we all have in common is a deep interest in educating youth about the natural world and its conservation. The path to becoming a Nocturnal Adventures instructor will differ for each person, depending partially on the applicant’s background and availability, but even more so on his/her confidence and self-motivation. CHAPTER TWO: THE NUTS AND BOLTS Level of Instructor Proficiency and Pay: A shift differential payment scale is applied to payment for each different Nocturnal Adventures shifts. That means Instructors have a base pay rate depending on program status: Level 1 Instructor, Level 2 Instructor, or Assistant Coordinator. While Instructors are sleeping, the base pay rate is lowered, allowing the department to fairly compensate Instructors for their time working versus time sleeping. Following is the breakdown of how NA Instructors will be paid based on their program status: PM Shift Level 1 = 5 hours @ $10 per hour = Total $50 FULL Shift Level 1 = 15 hours @ $10/$8 per hour = Total $130 Base pay rate = 6:00-11:00 PM @ $10 per hour Pay rate switches at 11:01 PM to $8 per hour until program ends the following morning PM Shift Level 2 = 5 hours @ $12 per hour = Total $60 FULL Shift Level 2 = 15 hours @ $12/$8 per hour = Total $140 Base pay rate = 6:00-11:00 PM @ $12 per hour Pay rate switches at 11:01 PM to $8 per hour until program ends the following morning Assistant Coordinators FULL Shift = 16 hours @ $13.85/$8 per hour = Total $160.20 Base pay rate = 5:30-11:00 PM @ $13.85 per hour Pay rate switches at 11:01 PM to $8 per hour until program ends the following morning All instructors can clock in and out using the time clock in the Instructor Room of the Harold C. Schott Education Center. Other time clocks are available throughout the Zoo but may not be accessible at all hours. Please check with the Program Coordinator for other accessible time clock locations. Beginning April 1, 2013, all Instructors will clock in and clock out on the time clock in the Instructor Room. Instructors will clock in using the last 5 digits of your social security number. You will then hit “Enter”, and see your name come up on the screen. To finish clocking in, you will also need to enter a department code for the Nocturnal Adventures program, which will be 212. To do this, hit the F1 key, enter “212”, and then hit “Enter” again. To clock out, you will enter the last 5 digits of your social security number again, and then hit “Enter”. You do not need to enter the department code when clocking out. There will be a detailed set of instructions posted next to the time clock to assist Instructors. Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions! **Note on managing your time: Now that all NA shifts are hourly, it is important that everyone manages their time well and clocks in and out at the appropriate time. It is common for last minute changes to come up (such as groups arriving early, the need to clean classrooms, the need to put away tables/chairs, etc.) and you may be asked to clock in early or clock out late. This must be approved by your AC or Program Coordinator. Training NA Instructors are required to attend Zoo Way Orientation Training before beginning to observe other NA Instructors. During this training you will complete employment paper work and receive a general introduction to the Zoo. Following Zoo Way Training, you will begin your Instructor training with Animal Handling Training. You will then be scheduled for two observation sessions (one FULL shift and one PM shift), two co-teaching sessions (one FULL shift and one PM shift). As long as you feel comfortable following these sessions, you will debut on your own (FULL shift) while being evaluated. Animal Handling Training You will handle a variety of animals including mammals, birds, reptiles and arthropods. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s (CZBG) Interpretive Animal Collection is a critical component to all educational programming at the Zoo. The CZBG uses live animals in formal educational programs and casual interactions with visitors, having a significant impact on the visitor experience and learning. This facilitates multi-sensory, authentic experiences that can provide the contextual bridge into deeper conversations about conservation. The CZBG seeks to “inspire every visitor with wildlife everyday” through the use of the CZBG Interpretive Animal Collection. To this end, the Interpretive Animal Collection must include suitable species and suitable individual specimens. The function and setting in which animals are used must always be appropriate. Animals must always be handled in a respectful, safe manner that does not misrepresent or degrade the animal. Individuals handling the Animal Interpretive Collection include full-time staff, part-time staff, part-time seasonal staff, interns and volunteers. Access to animals is based upon Handler aptitude and program need. Not all Handlers are capable of handling all animals, and not all programs require complete species representation. All Handlers must complete the CZBG Animal Handling Training Program, which is built upon the progressive Interpretive Animal Collection Tier System. The Animal Handling Training Program defines appropriate practices with animals, appropriate settings in which animals are used, meaningful conservation messages, and the process of training and trainer requirements. This will be scheduled for you prior to your first program observation. Observing Trainee An Instructor must complete 2 observation sessions. One will be a FULL shift observation from 6:00 PM to 9:00 AM and will include an introduction to the entire program from start to finish. The second shift will be a PM shift from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM. **Trainee must complete one Full and one PM observation. Many instructors have their own style when leading a program, but there are basic nuts and bolts that should be present in every overnight. There is a large amount of information to learn with Nocturnal Adventures, and observation allows trainees to become familiar and comfortable with how the program works, at their own pace. Observing trainees should complete Animal Handling Training, and then begin practicing the animal handling techniques of crating, demonstrating, and returning animals.