Education Track

EthoSearch Education

Studying an animal's behavior can provide scientists and animal care staff with valuable information that can aid in conservation efforts. The study of animal behavior is called ethology. Some ethological studies focus on conservation in natural habitats. Ethology studies are also conducted in zoos and sanctuaries in order to better care for animals in captivity.

This site is designed to help you teach your students about ethology by conducting your own behavioral research studies on school grounds, a nearby park, or even during a field trip to your local zoo.

While the term 'ethology' may not be part of national or state standards, advocating for an inquiry-based approach to science is.

Scientists rely on an inquiry-based approach for learning more about the world around them. An inquiry-based approach to scientific exploration includes:

• Making observations
• Posing questions
• Examining books and other information sources
• Planning investigations
• Using tools to gather and analyze data
• Proposing answers, explanations, and predictions
• Communicating results

(National Research Council 1996, p.23)

Ethology studies might incorporate all of these elements of inquiry in a single lesson!

Science standards aren't the only connections to the curriculum you can make through ethological studies. As students discuss their discoveries and write their results, they're linking to standards in English language arts. Projects that include counting frequencies or calculating percentages link to mathematical standards. You might even have students summarize their discoveries using computer graphing programs in order to link to technology standards.