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Zoo Tycoon Teaching Guide
A Teachers Guide for Zoo Tycoon - The Complete Collection
Written by Kimberly Hillman November 2004
BrainMeld.org Table of Contents
What is Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection?.. 3
About the Zoo Tycoon Teachers Guide...3 Using Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection in Your Classroom...4 Scheduling Class Time....5 Instruction....5 Whole Class....5 Group Work.....5 Individual Work.....5
Part 2: Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection Unit.. 6
Getting Started....6 Before You Begin....6 Using the Tutorials....6 Unit 1: Zoo Planning and Design...7 Unit Summary....7 Lesson 1: Beginning Zoo Planning....7 Objectives.....7 The Standards....7 The Activity....8 Follow Up....11 Extensions.....12 Lesson 2: Learning About Habitats...12 Objectives.....12 The Standards:....13 The Activity....14 Follow Up....16 Extensions.....17
Part 3: Screenshots, Resources, and References.. 18
Screenshots....18 MAP....18 CONSTRUCTION ICON....18 ANIMAL INFORMATION PANEL...19 HIRE STAFF ICON....19 ADOPT ANIMAL ICON...19

Teacher Resources... 20

Technical Support....20 Phone Support....20 World Wide Web.....20 Animal Resources....20

References.... 21

Copyright Information....21
What is Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection?
Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection is a simulation game for use on a personal computer. When playing the game, you are the creator of a zoo. You choose everything from the kind of terrain to build on, what types of structures to use, the animals living in the zoo, the landscape, and the zoo staff. You have a certain amount of money to spend and you must use it to build and keep up a zoo where both the animals and the visitors are happy and content. As an educational tool, Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection lets the students become the creator of a zoo. They will do such things as: Create their own zoo. Learn about land and sea animals and dinosaurs Learn about animal habitats Learn about the needs and wants of animals Learn about different terrains Explore the best ways to run a zoo
About the Zoo Tycoon Teachers Guide
This Teachers Guide can be used to help you implement Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection into a first grade classroom. It is divided into two parts: Part 1: Teaching with Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection explains what the game is. It also clarifies what the students will be doing and learning while they are playing the game. Part 2: Getting Started, Using the Tutorials, and the Units are included in this part. Getting Started explains what you and your students need to know and do
before you begin using this guide. Using the Tutorials discusses the 3 tutorials you should use before you begin the actual units. These tutorials will help you familiarize yourself with the game and the basic controls of the game. The Units contain the actual lessons you will be completing.
Using Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection in Your Classroom
Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection can be used in most grades K-12. This guide will concentrate on use in a 1st grade curriculum. It can be used as supplemental material in the content areas of science, social studies, and language arts. Science: In the content area of science, units cover standards relating to plants and animals and investigation and experimentation. Social Studies: In the content area of social studies, units cover standards relating to basic economic concepts, maps, and community. Language Arts: In the content area of language arts, units cover standards relating to reading comprehension, writing strategies, and writing applications. Using Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection in the classroom will help enhance each of these areas. Instead of simply teaching linearly by introducing and discussing content, using the game will help you teach cyclical and open-ended content. According to Clark Aldrich, Simulations make the most of the ingredients he believes are necessary for success. They contain authentic and relevant scenarios, applied pressure situations that tap users emotions and force them to act, a sense of restricted options, and replayability (2004). Applying the lessons to real life situations of a zoo creator and problem solving in situations that occur throughout the game make the learning more

meaningful to students. Students will be much more interested in seeing the units come alive in the game. They will actually have fun learning.

Scheduling Class Time

The time it takes to use Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection can vary. You can take up to an hour to complete each lesson, but you may cut the time down if need be. Depending on your schedule, you can adjust discussions and student involvement to meet your needs.

Instruction

Whole Class The best way to use this guide is with whole class instruction. You can use an overhead projector so the class can see the game easier when participating in the activities. Group Work You can have small groups of 3 to 5 students working together at a computer in your classroom or in a computer lab. You need to make sure that you have a student in the small group that is a good reader and if possible, one who has experience using video games. This will make it easier on the group and on you. Individual Work You can have students work on the lessons individually. Once again, it would be very helpful if the individual student can read and has experience using video games.
Part 2: Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection Unit

Getting Started

Before You Begin To use Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection, you and some of your students who will be using the game individually will need to have some basic computer skills. You need to know how to start the game, use mouse controls, and how to save and load files. The game tutorials will help you learn some of these skills. You need to make sure you have installed Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection on each computer that will be used. Using the Tutorials Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection has tutorials that will help familiarize you with the game. You should try to complete the tutorials before you use the lessons in your classroom. Tutorial 1: Game Control will teach you the basic game controls. You will learn how to open the game options, zoom in and out, rotate maps, undo actions, and clear items. Tutorial 2: Basic Gameplay will teach you how to build a basic animal exhibit and adopt an animal. It will also teach you how to hire staff, connect paths, and satisfy the needs of your guests. Tutorial 3: Making Animals Happy will teach you how to place the correct terrain in an exhibit and which type of foliage an animal likes. You will learn to tell if an animal likes or dislikes an object in the exhibit. You will also learn how to follow the zookeepers recommendations.

Unit 1: Zoo Planning and Design Unit Summary
In this unit your students will learn some of the basic elements of planning a zoo. There is so much more than just the animals. In Lesson 1, students will create a small zoo without the animals. They will learn what needs to be in the zoo to keep the guests happy with everything from benches to sit on to food to eat to having plenty of shade to walk in. In Lesson 2, students will move on to the animals and their habitats. Students will guess which animals belong in a specific habitat and then create others on their own. They will learn what structures, foliage, and surroundings work best for the animals.
Lesson 1: Beginning Zoo Planning
Objectives To help students understand what is involved in creating a small zoo aside from the animals. To help students learn how the game works. To help students learn what goes into building a zoo.
The Standards History Social Science Standards 1.2: Students compare and contrast the absolute and relative locations of places and people and describe the physical and/or human characteristics of places (California Department of Education [CDE], 2000a).
1.6: Students understand the basic economic concepts and the role of individual choice in a free-market economy (CDE, 2000a). English Language Arts Standards Writing 1.0: Students write clear and coherent sentences and paragraphs that develop a central idea (CDE, 1998). Writing Applications 2.0: Students write compositions that describe and explain familiar objects, events, and experiences(CDE, 1998). The Activity You or the student need to perform the following actions: 1. Start Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection. 2. The first screen is the Opening Menu screen. PLAY FREEFORM GAME. 3. Find BASIC GRASS MAP (SMALL) and click on it. 4. Click on PLAY in the bottom right hand corner. 5. The next screen will show you the ZOO TOOLS icons. Click on the first CONSTRUCTION icon. 6. You will be building the fences for 3 separate exhibits. They will be for an elephant, a lion, and a dolphin. Click on
BrainMeld.org Click on the FENCE tab.
Zoo Tycoon Teaching Guide When you choose what kind of
fence to use, keep in mind the needs of the animal. 7. When you choose what type of fence to use, move the cursor over to a grassy area and by clicking and dragging the mouse, you can build an exhibit. Make sure its an appropriate size for the animal. 8. Repeat the steps and build a total of three exhibits. 9. The NAVIGATION MAP in the lower left hand corner of the screen allows you to move to that area in the zoo. You

can click on the + and buttons to zoom in and out of your zoo. 10.Now you need to build some paths for your guests to walk on. Click on the PATHS tab and choose the type of path
you would like to use. 11.When you choose what type of path to use, move the cursor over to a grassy area and by clicking and dragging the mouse, you can design your paths. 12.Now click on the third icon down on the far left, the STRUCTURES icon. 13.You are now going to place some zoo structures throughout your zoo. In order to place a structure in
your zoo, you have to click on the ZOO BUILDINGS tab and
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then on the picture of the structure, move the cursor to the place in the zoo, and click the mouse. Before you place your structures, you need to think of the needs and wants of your guests. Choose structures so your
guests can buy food and drinks, use the restroom, and buy souvenirs. 14.If you find that you do not like what you just placed in your zoo, you can click on the UNDO PREVIOUS ACTION BUTTON, which is the arrow icon on the left. This will
take away what you just did on the screen so you can do something else. If you want to change something you
placed earlier in the game, you have to choose the CLEAR OBJECTS ICON, which has a bulldozer on it. You click
the button and then put the cursor over the object you want to clear and then click again. Remember that it
costs money to clear objects from your zoo. 15.Click on the ZOO SCENERY tab to make your zoo more beautiful and functional. you add buildings. You add scenery the same way
Place some trash cans, benches,
exhibit signs, lamps, picnic tables, observation areas, and fountains throughout your zoo. 16.Now you are going to hire staff for your zoo. the HIRE STAFF icon. Click on
Read the jobs of the different
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people available for hire and chose some people to help you run your zoo. 17.To choose someone, click on the picture, move the cursor to the zoo, and click again. 18.Click on the PAUSE GAME button at the bottom of the screen so you can discuss the activity with the students. Follow Up Encourage your students to refer to the paused game to discuss the following questions: 1. 2. Do you think you built a good zoo? Did you forget anything your guests might need? what? 3. Why do you think your zoo needs all of the structures you placed inside of it? 4. 5. Did you spend a lot of money building your zoo? Do you think you are going to have enough money to add animals to your zoo? 6. How is your zoo the same or different than a real zoo you have visited? If so,

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Zoo Tycoon Teaching Guide 12
What if you took away some of the structures you placed in your zoo? guests? How would taking things away affect your
Which do you think are the most important structures? Scenery items?
After all this discussion, would you go back and change anything about your zoo?
10. Write a story about what your favorite part of your zoo is and why. Draw a picture of your favorite part to go
with your story. Extensions 1. Have your students compare and contrast the zoo they just built to a map of a real zoo. 2. Have your students draw a simple map of the zoo they just built. 3. Have your students write a story about visiting their new zoo.
Lesson 2: Learning About Habitats
Objectives To help students understand animal habitats. To illustrate that animal habitats differ. To compare and contrast animal habitats. To understand animal needs and wants.
BrainMeld.org The Standards: Science Standards
Zoo Tycoon Teaching Guide 13
Life Sciences 2.0: Plants and animals meet their needs in different ways (CDE, 2000b). 2.a: Students know different plants and animals inhabit different kinds of environments and have external features that help them thrive in different kinds of places (CDE, 2000b). 2.b: Students know both plants and animals need water, animals need food, and plants need light (CDE, 2000b). 2.c: Students know animals eat plants and other animals for food and may also use plants or even other animals for shelter and nesting(CDE, 2000b). Investigation and Experimentation 4.0: Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for
understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations (CDE, 2000b). 4.a: Draw pictures that portray some features of the thing being described (CDE, 2000b).
Zoo Tycoon Teaching Guide 14 4.b: Record observations and data with pictures, numbers, or written statements (CDE, 2000b). 4.e: Make new observations when discrepancies exists between two descriptions of the same object or phenomenon (CDE, 2000b).
The Activity You or the student need to perform the following actions: 1. Start Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection and click on PLAY TUTORIAL & SCENARIO GAME. 2. Click on SMALL ZOO (BEGINNER) and then click PLAY. 3. The screen will show a small zoo with three exhibits already built. You need to decide which animal belongs You can move the cursor over the

in each exhibit.

objects on the screen to read the actual name of each object. 4. Click on the ADOPT ANIMALS icon to see which animals are available to choose from. 5. Place the animals into the correct exhibit. To do this,
click on the picture of the animal, move the cursor into the middle of the exhibit, and click the mouse again. 6. After you place the three animals into the correct exhibits, more animals become available for you to

BrainMeld.org adopt.

Zoo Tycoon Teaching Guide 15 You must choose three more animals to adopt.
First you must build the right kind of exhibits for the animals. 7. If you need help deciding how to build the exhibits, move the cursor over each of the animal pictures under the ADOPT ANIMALS icon. You can read the pop-up tips Remember
about each animal so you know where to start.
to keep in mind the animals needs and wants as you build the exhibits. 8. You should try to build one exhibit at a time. Click on
the CONSTRUCTION icon to add foliage, rocks, and specific terrain to the exhibit. 9. Click on the ADOPT ANIMALS icon to add animal shelters and animal toys to the exhibit. When you feel you have created a good exhibit, place the adopted animal in its new home. 10.You can see whether or not the animal is happy with its home. If you click on the animal, its ANIMAL INFORMATION PANEL appears. This panel shows a variety of information about the animal. its home. You can see if the animal is happy in
Zoo Tycoon Teaching Guide 16
11.If the animal is not happy, you can click on the ZOOKEEPER RECOMMENDATION BUTTON to see what you can do to make the animal happier. 12.You can follow the Zookeepers recommendations and add or take away something from the animals exhibit. If
you do something the animal likes, a happy face will appear over its head. If you do something it doesnt If no face appears, the This
like, a sad face appears.
animal feels neutral about the decision you made.
feature helps you decide to do what is best for your animals. 12.Click on the PAUSE GAME button at the bottom of the screen so you can discuss the activity with the students. Follow Up Encourage your students to refer to the paused game to discuss the following questions: 1. 2. What is an animal habitat? What must be in an animals habitat in order for the animal to survive and be happy? 3. 4. 5. What do all animals need to live? How are the animal habitats you created the same? How are the animal habitats you created different?

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Could the animals in your zoo live in another animals habitat? Why or why not?
Can some of the animals in your zoo live together in the same exhibit? Why or why not?
Is there anything you put into the habitats that the animals can live without? Why or why not?
There are no zookeepers in the wild, how do the animals survive without a zookeeper taking care of them like they do in the zoo?
10. Write a story about your favorite animal habitat in your zoo. Describe the habitat and tell what animal Draw a picture of your favorite habitat

lives there.

to go with your story. Extensions 1. Have your students add more animal exhibits to the zoo. 2. Have your students make a diorama of one of the exhibits at their zoo. 3. Have your students visit a real zoo and write a story that describes one of the exhibits they saw.

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Part 3:

Screenshots
Screenshots, Resources, and References
The following screenshots will be helpful to refer to when playing Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection. MAP The map is located in the bottom left hand corner of the screen at all times.

CONSTRUCTION ICON

BrainMeld.org ANIMAL INFORMATION PANEL
Zoo Tycoon Teaching Guide 19

HIRE STAFF ICON

ADOPT ANIMAL ICON
Zoo Tycoon Teaching Guide 20

Teacher Resources

There is a manual available for using Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection. This manual has step-by-step directions you can follow to help you build your zoo. Technical Support http://support.microsoft.com Phone Support (800) 537-8324 World Wide Web http://www.zootycoon.com http://www.zootycooninsider.com Animal Resources The Oakland Zoo: Animals from A to Z at http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/atoz.html. Animal Habitats at http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/ More Animal Habitats at http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/sirrobhitch.suffolk/habitats/. Animal Planet at http://animal.discovery.com/.
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References

Aldrich, C. (2004). Simulations and the future of learning : An innovative (and perhaps revolutionary) approach to e-learning. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. California Department of Education. (1998). English-language arts content standards for California public schools. Sacramento, California: California Department of Education Press. California Department of Education. (2000). History social science content standards for California public schools. Sacramento, California: California Department of Education Press. California Department of Education. (2000). Science content standards for California public schools. Sacramento, California: California Department of Education Press. Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection [Video Game]. (2003). Microsoft Game Studio. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation Copyright Information & (p) 2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, the Microsoft Game Studios logo, Windows, Zoo Tycoon and Marine Mania are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.