The Oakland Zoo in collaboration with Grass Valley and Thurgood Marshall Elementary Schools, and Mills College is working to address this problem through a four-year program called Spectrum. Funded by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Spectrum encourages students, teachers, parents and the community to become involved in early childhood education, and promotes literacy and efficacy, or the teaching of different techniques to help children learn.
All children are able creatures.
Our job as educators is to help each child find a unique and personal pathway to learning and achievement. A variety of activities will welcome the parents and students and allow them to discover the benefits of reading together. The Auditorium will offer several stations where the students can design their own book, create unique adventure stories and earn a book to take home by answering a series of science questions. The Book Worm will greet the young visitors and refreshments will also be served. The award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to over 300 native and exotic animals.