Classroom & Assembly Presentations

Answers to frequently asked questions about

School Assembly Programs

What do you bring to the schools?

For large assembly presentations (100 or more children) we typically focus on reptiles and amphibians.  The collection we typically bring to large assemblies includes 16 or more animals:

Six small-to-medium sized snakes and one very large Burmese python
Five medium-to-large lizards and one very large monitor species
One large Sulcata tortoise or a smaller California desert tortoise
Two or more amphibians (frogs and salamanders)

These celebrities are very gentle and, group size permitting, the students may be given an opportunity to pet and/or hold some of these animals.  One thing that makes our shows unique is that we like to get close to the students with the animals.  We prefer to walk down aisles among the audience as we talk, giving each student the opportunity to see these wonderful creatures close up.  We take questions and encourage participation by asking questions of the audience.  We characterize our presentation as a ‘talk’ and NOT a ‘lecture.’

What about the bugs?

Cool Critters also maintains a collection of arthropods (insects, spiders, scorpions, millipedes, etc.) for presentations at schools and at parties. While bugs are always interesting to students, they do not display as well in very large group settings.  If your school wants bugs to be included in a large audience show we will gladly do so, but it is our experience that these animals are better appreciated in groups of 100 or fewer students at a time.

What will the students learn?

Presentations can be tailored to a specific science unit or general in content, covering topics like species habitats, camouflage, anatomical form and function, specialization, predator vs. prey, ecology and others.  These concepts are incorporated into each presentation in a manner and in terms that are easily absorbed by young students.  Here are a few examples:

 

Madagascar’s Panther Chameleon-When discussing the world’s most beautiful lizard, students will learn that, while chameleons can change colors, they DO NOT do so to match their background.  They change colors to communicate!  They’ll also see that chameleons are deaf and do not have ears, but while standing still can look in any direction with their pivoting eyes.  They’ll see that chameleons have monkey-like tails, feet similar to our hands, and can fire their tongues 8 inches out of their mouths to catch butterflies.

Snakes-During the presentation of snake species, students will learn that these animals are not slimy, do not dig holes, cannot hear, and are not ‘cold’ blooded.  They’ll see that snakes use their colors to hide in their environments or to fool you into thinking they’re poisonous.  They’ll learn that some snakes can hunt at night with heat-sensing organs that take over for the eyes when it is too dark to see light, and that ALL snakes are beneficial to our environment.

 

Turtles and Tortoises-Students will see that turtle shells are part of their skeletons worn on the outside to protect them from danger and that, while turtles can swim, tortoises generally cannot.  They’ll learn that the Sulcata tortoise can reach a weight of 150 pounds and live 100 years.  They’ll also learn why the California Desert tortoise population is now only 20% of what it was in 1985 and what they should do if they ever see one in the wild.  Students will hear how turtles (and other reptiles) must stop eating when it is too cold for them to digest their food and that they will go into a restful period of ‘torpor’ to save their energy until it gets warm again.

Should we book one big assembly show or several smaller shows?

 

Here’s a guide to help you decide how to divide your shows based on the time booked. These times provide breaks between shows to accommodate audience seating and departure:
1 hour  = one show of 60 minutes duration                                                   
2 hours = your choice of three 30 minute, or two 50 minute shows  
3 hours = your choice of four 30 minute, three 50 minute, or two 60 minute shows 
4 hours = your choice five 30 minute, four 50 minute, or three 60 minute shows    

What’s the difference between a 60, 50 and 30-minute show?

 

60 minute show

50 minute show

30 minute show

Is the price the same for all schools in Southern California?

 

We don’t think that would be fair and our goal is to keep our prices affordable for schools during these tight budget years.  The fee for a one-hour presentation is based on your school’s distance from Anaheim.  Traffic patterns and gas prices dictate the exact price of your first hour.  For example: In Anaheim the price is currently set at $265 for the first hour, while in the city of Alhambra it is $295.  Please call for your school’s price.

Is there a price break for multiple-hour bookings?

 

Yes!  All schools, regardless of location, only pay $200 for their second hour (if the second hour immediately follows the first hour).  A third hour is further reduced to $175 and the fourth is only $150.  Again, these hours must be consecutive for this price break.

So using Anaheim as an example, prices would look like this:
1 hr      $265
2 hr      $465
3 hr      $640
4 hr      $790

What about liability insurance?

 

Cool Critters is registered with the California PTA as an approved vendor.  When we do shows for public schools, our $1,000,000 in liability insurance covers the California PTA and all individual school, council and district PTAs in the State of California.  According to California PTA policies, this meets their requirement in order for your PTA to book a show through us. I always recommend that, when seeking approval for a Cool Critters Animal Presentation, you contact your school principle at your earliest convenience to determine what your school's policies are for animal shows.

We bring some very large and impressive looking reptiles to classrooms, and wish to assure you that they are secured in latched wooden shipping crates before and after their presentation.  They are never left unattended.  We also bring along a number of reptile friends that can be handled by students during the show (group size permitting).  The 'hands on' species shared are what we call 'pet store varieties' and all are selected for their gentle temperaments and sound health. They are each handled by thousands of children every year and are very accustomed to high energy crowds.

We closely supervise all interaction with animals and, at the conclusion of the show, all children who handled animals are required to wash their hands at the conclusion of the show with the anti-bacterial lotion we provide.