Minnesota Zoo's Operation Curiosity and Wonder: Evaluation of a Curriculum Program

Abstract

In spring of 2020 and during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and statewide shutdown, the Minnesota Zoo developed a science curriculum program for K-5 teachers that addressed newly adopted science standards developed by the state of Minnesota. The curriculum could be used by teachers teaching remotely as an analogue (off-line) resource to increase access to learning resources without technology being a barrier. Titled “Operation Curiosity and Wonder” (OCW), this new curriculum was passed out to schools and teachers for immediate use. Although the OCW curriculum provided good science content, it likely saw minimal use due to time pressures from the pandemic, a wealth of competing resources, and a preference among teachers for digital (not analog) content. Accessibility of curriculum is an ongoing discussion among educators, and while OCW’s format favors accessibility in one sense, there remain barriers.