Wild Animals in VR
Stand inches from wild predators, feeling their raw power in Virtual Reality.
About this workshop
Our bespoke VR workshop brings the animal kingdom to life, letting pupils come face-to-face with fascinating - and occasionally terrifying - beasts.
The journey takes in an animal from each vertebrate class - mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and fish - so the session does the work of classification while pupils think they are simply meeting animals.
Works brilliantly for the whole school - sparking wonder in Reception, while challenging Year 6 with real classification.
How the session runs
What happens
- 01
Golden Eagle and Hare
Set in Scotland, the class meets the golden eagle and picks out what makes it a hunter - lightweight bones, a strong beak, wings and feathers. The hunt is realistic, but the hare always escapes, so pupils watch the adaptations rather than the ending.
- 02
Frog and Pit Viper
In the rainforest the class meets a reptile and an amphibian side by side. The frog breathes through lungs and skin; the pit viper hunts with heat-sensing pit organs, camouflage, fangs and venom - and both rely on their surroundings to stay warm.
- 03
Tuna and Mackerel
Out in the open ocean, pupils see how gills pull oxygen from water and why plankton feeds every food chain in the sea. Tuna are built for speed; mackerel form a baitball so no single fish is an easy target.
- 04
Deer and Tiger
The last film puts a herbivore and a carnivore together. Deer survive on moveable ears, wide vision, strong legs and the safety of a herd; the tiger on claws, canine teeth, powerful jaws and camouflage.
- 05
Virtual museum
We finish in the museum with self-guided exploration, fascinating facts and some interactive animal surprises.
What pupils will learn
The science they take away
Every session has been built around your curriculum objectives.
- 01The characteristics of the five vertebrate classes
- 02How to classify an unfamiliar animal from its features
- 03How animals are adapted to their habitats
- 04What different animals eat and how that shapes them
- 05Where in the world each animal lives
- 06The correct scientific vocabulary for describing animals
Curriculum links
What this covers in the National Curriculum
Science - Living things and their habitats
- Identify and name the five main classes of vertebrates: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.
- Recognise that humans are mammals and identify some characteristics of mammals.
- Explain that animals have adaptations that help them survive in their particular habitats.
- Identify examples of physical adaptations used for hunting, feeding, movement and defence.
- Distinguish between herbivores, carnivores and omnivores according to what they eat.
- Understand that animals are part of food chains, with herbivores eating plants and carnivores eating other animals.
In your school
A wildlife adventure from the animals’ points of view.
Logistics
What we bring, what you need
We bring
- A fully networked class set of VR headsets
- Our own wild animal content, built for primary pupils
- A DBS-checked facilitator to lead every session
- Cleaning and hygiene kit used between every class
- A speaker, cabling, charging and a spare headset
You provide
- A school hall or a large, clear indoor space
- A parking space close by to unload equipment
- A member of school staff present in each session
Questions schools ask
Before you book
- Are any of the animals frightening?
- A few are deliberately dramatic, but nothing in the content is distressing and pupils can lift the headset whenever they want.
- Can it cover a whole school in one day?
- Yes - six sessions covers a one-form-entry school.
- Is the content the same for every year group?
- The environments are, the facilitation is not. The questions and vocabulary are pitched to the class in front of us.
- Do we need internet?
- No. Everything runs on our own equipment and network.
Feedback from schools
What schools said
Five-star Google reviews of Education Group, who deliver our workshops. Reviews naming this workshop come first.
Our school loved their habitats VR experience. The instructor was lovely and kept children engaged and calm. Would 100% book again!
A great workshop. Fantastic resources and Chris was great with the children. They were engaged throughout and talked about it for ages afterwards. This is the third time we have used them and they never disappoint!
We have had a number of experiences from the Education Group and are always impressed by the quality of the workshops. We return to them time after time because we know that the planning, content and age-appropriateness of their sessions are absolutely right for the children.
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