Schools · Daycares · Camps · Homeschool groups
School field trips
Every animal here is a question your class can answer.
More than 200 animals in Rising Sun, Maryland. Groups of 15 or more save $2 on every ticket, and up to four teachers come in free.
Free printable animal fact sheetsLook closer.
Every visit starts with a question. Here are six the animals answer.
Variation · Grant’s zebra
Are any two zebras striped the same?
No. A zebra’s stripe pattern is set before it is born, and every pattern is as unique as a human fingerprint. Even the skin under each stripe matches its color.
At the zoo: sketch the stripes on one shoulder, then compare sketches with a partner.
Meet our zebrasGrant’s zebra fact sheet (PDF)
Adaptation · Serval
Why are a serval’s ears so big?
To hunt by sound. For its head size, a serval has the largest ears of any cat, and it uses them to hear rodents moving through tall grass, or even underground, before it pounces.
At the zoo: find Jasira and Santiago and count how often their ears turn in one minute.
Meet Jasira and SantiagoServal fact sheet (PDF)
Structure · Reticulated giraffe
How many bones are in a giraffe’s neck?
Seven, the same number as in your neck. A giraffe’s are just far longer. Its heart has to push blood about six feet uphill to its brain, so its blood pressure is about twice yours.
At the zoo: at the giraffe feeding station, watch how far a giraffe can bend its neck with only seven bones.
Meet our giraffesGiraffe fact sheet (PDF)
Defense · Crested porcupine
Can a porcupine shoot its quills?
No. Quills are hairs made of keratin, like your fingernails, and they only come loose on contact. A crested porcupine raises its crest, rattles its tail quills and stamps its feet to warn a predator away.
At the zoo: find where the crest begins, and tell the soft hair around the face from the longer quills.
Porcupine facts
Classification · Binturong
Is a bearcat a bear or a cat?
Neither. “Bearcat” is a nickname. Binturongs belong to the viverrid family, with civets and genets, and live in the treetops, anchored by sturdy claws and a gripping tail.
At the zoo: our five binturongs are Bali, Percy, Peter, Poppy and Stitch. Watch how they use their tails to climb.
Meet our five binturongsBinturong fact sheet (PDF)
Heredity · African lion
Are white lions albino?
No. Kimba and Jaala are leucistic: a rare recessive gene lightens the coat, but their eyes, noses and paw pads keep their color. They are the same species as every tawny lion.
At the zoo: look at Kimba and Jaala’s noses and eyes, the places an albino lion would have no color.
Meet Kimba and JaalaWhite lion fact sheet (PDF)Free animal fact sheets
Handouts, ready to print.
Two-page handouts for 54 animals, to use in class before your trip or after it. Each sheet is built from the animal’s page on our website, so students can look up the answers there.
“These educational fact sheets are amazing! What a perfect way for elementary and middle school students to learn about animals, while also providing a great foundation for writing research papers.
Hands down, the best animal resource ever for busy classroom teachers!”
On every sheet
- Fast factsThe basics at a glance
- Did you know?Five surprising facts
- Words to knowScience words in plain language
- Think about itFive questions to discuss
- Draw itA drawing activity with labels
- WorksheetPage 2: predictions beforehand, an exit ticket afterward
Teachers may copy and share them freely as long as they credit Plumpton Park Zoo. Every sheet also lists the science standards it supports: NGSS for Maryland and Delaware, STEELS for Pennsylvania.
See all 54 fact sheets
Mammals
- AlpacaPDF
- American bisonPDF
- American black bearPDF
- Arctic wolfPDF
- Bactrian camelPDF
- Bengal tigerPDF
- BinturongPDF
- Black-backed jackalPDF
- Clouded leopardPDF
- CougarPDF
- Dromedary camelPDF
- European brown bearPDF
- Fallow deerPDF
- Grant’s zebraPDF
- Juliana pigPDF
- LlamaPDF
- North American porcupinePDF
- Patagonian cavyPDF
- Pot-bellied pigPDF
- Pygmy goatPDF
- Red-necked wallabyPDF
- Reticulated giraffePDF
- Ring-tailed lemurPDF
- Scottish Highland cowPDF
- ServalPDF
- SheepPDF
- Siberian tigerPDF
- Sicilian donkeyPDF
- Two-toed slothPDF
- WatusiPDF
- White lionPDF
- ZebuPDF
Birds
- Barred owlPDF
- Blue-and-gold macawPDF
- Indian peafowlPDF
- Moluccan cockatooPDF
- Red golden pheasantPDF
- Silver pheasantPDF
- Snowy owlPDF
Reptiles
Fish
Animal Learning Center
Online only. These animals are not at the zoo.
Optional guided tour
Explore with a guide.
One hour with zoo staff, built around the animals in front of your students and pitched to their age. It can be added to any group booking.
| Up to 25 people | $45 |
|---|---|
| 26 to 50 people | $90 |
| 51 to 75 people | $135 |
| 76 to 100 people | $180 |
Plan your field trip.
Group rates for 15 or more paying admissions, booked ahead. That is $2 off every ticket.
$19.95
Adults and teens
Ages 13 and over
$13.95
Children
12 and under
4 free
Teachers
With valid ID. Ask admissions about more.
15+
Group size
Paying admissions, for the group rate.
Everyone in the group pays the group rate, babies included. Anyone in the group who pays separately pays regular admission.
Estimate your trip
Group rates, booked ahead. Change the numbers to fit your group.
Estimated total$924.30
48 children × $13.95 = $669.60 · 6 adults × $19.95 = $119.70 · 4 teachers free · Guided tour for 58 people: $135.00
Book a school tripNothing is charged when you book. The group pays once, at the admissions window.
- Step 1
Book online
Reserve at least 10 days ahead. Sooner than that, call (410) 658-6850. Nothing is charged when you book.
- Step 2
Stay on the bus
At the group entrance, one person checks in and pays once at the admissions window while the group waits.
- Step 3
Explore
Parking is free, and a hand stamp lets anyone step out and come back in.
Questions teachers ask
Anything else? Call admissions at (410) 658-6850.
Booking and paying
How far ahead do we need to book?
Reservations are required at least 10 days before your visit. Sooner than that, call (410) 658-6850. Nothing is charged when you book.
How does the group pay?
One person pays for the whole group at the admissions window when you arrive. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Apple Pay and Google Pay. If your school needs an invoice or follows a purchase order process, call admissions at (410) 658-6850 before you book.
Do chaperones pay?
Up to four teachers come in free with valid ID. Other adults, chaperones included, pay the group rate of $19.95. Larger groups can ask admissions about more teacher passes.
What if our numbers change?
The group rate needs 15 paying admissions, so let us know before the day if your numbers change. Anyone paying separately pays regular admission.
We’re not a school. Can we come as a group?
Yes. Scout troops, church groups, senior groups and other parties of 15 or more can book a Large Group Visit.
On the day
Where is the zoo?
1416 Telegraph Road, Rising Sun, Maryland 21911, about 10 minutes from I-95 and 5 minutes from Route 1. From I-95, take Exit 100 to Route 272 North, turn left onto Route 273 at the second traffic light, and the entrance is about a mile on the left. Parking is free. There are also directions from Pennsylvania and Delaware.
What time is the zoo open?
Seven days a week. For most of the year the zoo is open 10:00am to 5:00pm, with last admission at 4:00pm. From Memorial Day through Labor Day it is open 9:00am to 6:00pm, with last admission at 5:00pm. It is closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Current hours and prices are always on Hours and Tickets.
Where can students eat lunch?
Packed lunches are welcome: bring your own food and coolers, and use the picnic tables on the grounds. The snack bar by the admissions area is open every day the zoo is, with hot food, snacks, drinks and hand-dipped ice cream.
Can students feed the giraffes?
Yes. The giraffe feeding station runs at 12:00 noon on weekdays and at 11:00am and 1:00pm on weekends for most of the year, and at 11:00am and 1:00pm every day from Memorial Day through Labor Day, weather permitting. Feeding costs $5, paid at the station, and needs no booking. Watching is free.
Is the zoo accessible?
Wheelchairs and strollers are welcome throughout the zoo. Paths are natural stone on rolling ground, so some stretches are steeper than others. Accessible restrooms are at the Reptile House and the Giraffe Conservation Center. If anyone in your group needs accommodations, tell us when you book and we will plan the visit around them.
Which ages does the zoo suit?
Groups come from pre-K through high school. Younger children get the most out of how close they can get to the animals; older students get more from the conservation and animal-care side of the tour.
In the classroom
Do you have materials to prepare students?
Yes. Our free animal fact sheets are two-page handouts with fast facts, words to know, questions to discuss, a drawing activity and a worksheet. Teachers may copy and share them freely as long as they credit Plumpton Park Zoo. For longer projects, the Zoo Field Trip Learning Guide has grade-level activities and a student field journal.
Can we use the fact sheets without a visit?
Yes. They are free for any classroom or homeschool family, whether or not you book a trip. Nine of them cover animals in our online Animal Learning Center that are not at the zoo, and each of those sheets says so at the top.
Before and after your visit.
Animal Fact Sheets
Free two-page handouts with fast facts, words to know, questions to discuss, a drawing activity and a worksheet. Copy them for every student.
ReadDiscussDraw
Teacher Resources
The Zoo Field Trip Learning Guide: grade-level activities, student research questions and a field journal your class can fill in at the zoo.
ResearchObserveExplain
Animal Learning Center
Animal profiles, adaptations, habitats, behavior and conservation, for worksheets before the trip or follow-up work after it.
Summer Camps
Zoo camps run through Cecil College. Details for 2027 are coming.
Bring your class.
Reserve at least 10 days ahead. Sooner than that, call (410) 658-6850. Nothing is charged until the day of your visit.