Resource Library

The Roosevelt Park Zoo present on their project: "Biography Signs."

This project used distance learning to foster empathy for oceans and Great Lakes. Through curriculum partnerships, 4th grade students built science knowledge and perspective-taking skills by exploring connections between people, animals, and aquatic ecosystems.

The program, piloted at the early elementary level, incorporated effective ACE empathy practices in partnership with the existing district socioemotional learning curriculum.

This project showcases training videos for consistency and ease of dispersal to multiple departments.

This project created empathy-based activity guides for teachers bringing school groups to the zoo.

Designed for children ages 3 to 5, this program embeds empathy into social-emotional learning through a structured plan, assessments, and ongoing evaluation.

This project focused on building an empathy-based program for primary aged school students. The program was offered to all 1st grade students in the Minot school district.

These two projects focused on culturally responsive programming and early childhood empathy. Minnesota Zoo evaluated live virtual animal experiences with diverse schools and another expanded preschool programming and contribute to empathy research in young children.

Lake Superior Zoo and Zoo Boise share projects that foster empathy through ambassador animal experiences.

These projects focused on empathy-based interpretation and program development. Como expanded the ROADMAP framework to strengthen empathy-focused learning design, while ZooMontana created biography signs highlighting individual animals’ stories and personalities.

These projects focus on ambassador animal choice, interpretive exhibits, and staff training.

These projects use immersive media and school partnerships to build empathy for wildlife.

Northwest Trek evaluated how passive experiences like tram tours support empathy outcomes. Lake Superior Zoo, in partnership with University of Minnesota-Duluth, led a Community of Practice to co-create empathy practices grounded in Indigenous perspectives.

Zoo Boise presents two projects integrating empathy into exhibit planning and interpretation.

Three organizations share projects on interpretation, staff development, and animal enrichment.

CPZ shares two projects: one developed an interdepartmental Empathy Action Plan aligned with their Education Strategic Plan, and the other redesigned interpretive plans and volunteer training resources.

This grant is an evolution of the Seattle Aquarium’s Marine Science Club and built capacity to reach more high school-aged youth and to infuse empathy best practices into the club.

These projects focused on community relevance and volunteer engagement. One developed a culturally responsive program design and evaluation framework, while the other restructured a volunteer program to center empathy

In this grant presentation: ZooMontana created outdoor areas for voluntary animal-guest interactions and staff-led experiences. GWDC completed a second bear den to house rescued bears who support empathy-based education about coexisting with wildlife.

In these projects: Dakota Zoo enhanced staff communication and presentation skills across guest programs, while Roosevelt Park Zoo evaluated how enriched animal experiences influence guest empathy and perceptions of animal well-being.

Zoo Boise developed concept designs and guides for empathy-focused visitor experiences, while Henry Vilas Zoo created a strategic framework to embed empathy throughout its interpretive planning.

In this grant presentation, NEW Zoo and adventure park present on their project, “Education Courtyard Expansion” which created an interactive space for zoo visitors to learn about ambassador animals and provided empathy-based signage in the new space (2:00-23:20).

Alaska SeaLife Center and Seattle Aquarium share projects designed to foster empathy through experiential learning.

This webinar focuses on Minnesota Zoo's journey in implementing DEAI principles and empathy best practices in their education programs over the past three years.

This grant project developed a new play space near a red panda exhibit that highlighted the power of parallel play and allowed young children to learn empathetic connections to LSZ's resident red panda.

This webinar shares an evaluation tool designed to measure empathy for animals in non-speaking audiences and discusses how to gather this type of data and further applications of this work.

In this presentation: Dakota Zoo highlights voluntary training and educational enhancements, while Racine Zoo shares how interactive ethogram activities help guests understand animal behavior and inform husbandry practices.

This session showcases the BioFacts Toolkit, an innovative resource designed to train staff and volunteers in using biofacts as tactile tools to foster emotional connections with wildlife.

This session highlights the power of community collaboration and cultural inclusion in fostering empathy for wildlife.

This session explores how exhibit design and interpretation can create connection between people and wildlife.