This paper discusses the development and visitor research of the George D. Widener Memorial Treehouse at the Philadelphia Zoo. The exhibit represents a non-traditional approach to education which involves the child as learner in the guise of an animal. This paper includes key findings from an evaluation study that aimed to achieve a systematic, working description of how visitors use "Treehouse"--what they are actually doing while they are there.
Monarchs in the Classroom provides a wide variety of materials and professional development opportunities for teachers, naturalists and citizens throughout the US. Two groups of behind the scenes people work together in a unique partnership to make this program successful: classroom teachers and scientists committed to sharing their expertise with the broader community. All of our programs reflect this partnership, combining real science with techniques that work for teachers, students and citizens, and promoting practices in which children learn science in ways that reflect the inquiry methods used by scientists to understand the natural world.