Final Exam Prep Flashcards
Define a theme
A complete sentence that expresses the topic and the moral conclusion you hope people will think about
What is the mission statement of America’s Teaching Zoo
To inspire conservation action by providing engaging connections with wildlife and those who care for them
What three things make a strong theme
- Provokes thinking
- Attracts attention and creates curiosity
- Inspires people to want to know more
Thought provoking themes have these 2 essential features:
- Relevant
- Easy to understand
What are some other ways you can strengthen your theme
Add metaphors and similes
Use analogies- makes themes easier to process/understand
Keep it short: 15-20 words, one complete sentence to capture a single, relevant idea
Build in personal language- make it about them
Use everyday conversational language- keep it simple
Metaphor
A statement that describes something with a word or phrase that is ordinarily used to describe a very different thing
Simile
A comparison between two things using words such as “like or “as”
Analogy
Compare or contrast different things to show how they are related to eachother
“Life is a highway”
Simile, metaphor, or analogy?
Metaphor
“As proud as a peacock”
Simile, metaphor, or analogy?
Simile
“Dog is to fur as bird is to feather”
Simile, metaphor, or analogy?
Analogy
A theme can be more than one sentence IF
- The theme is multifaceted
- Has a chain of events
- It would be a run on sentence if you didn’t separate it
“Because we rarely see them, nocturnal birds are often the subject of superstitions and potentially threatening misconceptions. Fortunately, all of us can do something to protect them.”
What makes this a good theme?
It is a complete sentence
It contains a topic- Nocturnal birds and superstitions
It answers the question: What do I want my audience to get out of this topic- That nocturnal birds have been poorly represented and it is important to protect them. (Changes their misconceptions and challenges them to help protect these birds)
Topic
The subject
Title
Titles are often sentence fragments. (Example: A book title- The Chronicles of Narnia is a title)
“The power of the ocean”
Topic, Tagline, Title, or Theme
Topic
“The Ocean- Powerful, yet Fragile”
Topic, Tagline, Title, or Theme
Title
“The Power of the Ocean Masks its Fragility”
Theme
Tagline
Not a complete sentence
Conveys only part of an idea without more words
Ex: “A diamond is forever”
“Do not litter the environment”
Is it a theme
No, because it is an imperative sentence. A theme cannot be a command for someone to do something. A theme is a declarative sentence.
“Do you think animals should be kept in zoos?”
Is it a theme
No, because it is a question. A theme answers the “so what” question so it cannot in itself be a question.
“With climate change, it’s going to take all of us fighting together to save the polar bear from extinction”
Is it a theme
Yes.
Complete sentence.
Possesses a topic- polar bear and climate change
This or that: Keeper or caretaker
Caretaker
This or that: Collection or animals in our care
Animals in our care
This or that: Captivity/Captive or under human care
Under human care
This or that: Institution or facility
facility
This or that: Acquisition or homing/re-homing
homing/re-homing
This or that: Exhibit or enclosure
enclosure
This or that: Industry or profession
profession
This or that: Show or presentation
presentation
This or that: Cages or bedroom area/indoor space
bedroom area/indoor space
This or that: Bars or barriers
barriers
This or that: Tricks or behaviors
behaviors
This or that: Lifespan or life expectancy
Life expectancy
This or that: Diet or nutrition
Nutrition
This or that: Shipping or transporting
transporting
This or that: Caught/captured or rescued
rescued
This or that: Working an animal or working with an animal
Working with an animal
This or that: Environment or land, air, water
land, air, water
This or that: Ecosystems or natural areas
Natural areas
This or that: Biodiversity/endangered species or Fish and wildlife
Fish and wildlife
This or that: Regulations or safeguards
Safeguards
This or that: Environmental groups or Conservation groups
Conservation groups
What makes a good transition
Summarize the preceding idea
Establish the relationship between the preceding and following idea
Preview the next idea
Sometimes short phrases are enough to move you and your audience from one point to another
Ethics
External. The rules society asks us to follow. Rewards are external
Integrity
Internal. Our own moral compass
- Questions and signs: Asking whether something is right/wrong, having feelings about something
Public trust comes from what
Animal care and welfare transparency
True or false: Empowering messages are more effective than sacrifice messages
True
When are connections the strongest for our guests
When visitors get to know our animals as individuals
How should you implement a take action message
Great for use as a conservation message
Refer to the message throughout your presentation
Relate it to specific animals
True or false: Zoos can use messaging to increase public favorability to increase their trustworthiness
True
How is ATZ involved in conservation
AAZK chapter
We ourselves are learning as students
We interpret to zoo visitors
How to gain framing in your theme
Present the positives, give them the ability to consider.
The big picture includes all the benefits/aspects. Use a “future generations” message.
What are three things that make EATM unique
- We are 1 of 2 college campuses in the US with a zoo on campus (other in Santa Fe in Florida)
- We are the only zookeeping program in the country that also specializes in animal care, training, and wildlife education
- Our students come from all over the country and the world
What is a pro and a con about using an animal’s name
Pro- helps visitors to gain a more meaningful connection with that animal
Con- Visitor may try to receive attention from the animal by consistently using their name
What are ATZ’s 7 main messaging points
- EATM is unique
- We (zoo professionals) are animal welfare champions
- Most wild animals do not make good pets for most people
- ATZ was built in 1990 and we are working hard to renovate
- We use and teach ethical techniques
- We are facing an extinction crisis
- Safety is our top priority
How are we animal welfare champions here at ATZ. List two.
- Animal care is a 24/7 responsibility and we work very hard to give our animals a good life and the best of care
- The animals here could not survive in the wild and have a forever home here with us at ATZ
Most wild animals do not make good pets for most people. Explain this ATZ mission point further
We are professionals and students working under supervision of leaders in the field and we work with the animals all day every day
Wild is different than tame which is different than domesticated
How are we currently renovating ATZ
Alumni aviary is under construction to provide our birds with larger enclosures. Our large carnivores are next- Tiger new habitat in progress
Many of our animals come out, our carnivores switch twice a day into a larger naturalistic area
How does ATZ use and teach ethical techniques? List 3.
- Positive reinforcement (rewards) are used. It is natural to work for food, that is what animals do in the wild.
- We never hold food back (like nature does)- animals get fed a nutritional diet every day regardless of what they do or don’t do. They have choices and choose to participate in activities
- Exercising their brains in addition to their bodies is crucial for their welfare. Training is beneficial
We are facing an extinction crisis. What does ATZ say the public can do to help? List two.
- Get involved in supporting conservation organizations
- Zoos are the largest conservation organization. Help us help our planet
How is safety a top priority here at ATZ
We work hard to create a safe environment for animals, students, and the public
How should we handle crucial conversations
We face them and handle them well
How to spot a crucial conversation
Physical signs
Emotions
Behavior
Two communication styles under stress
- Silence (masking, avoiding, withdrawing)
- Violence (controlling, labeling, attacking)
What is a mutual purpose
Others perceive that you are working toward a common outcome in the conversation. You share the same goal.
Signs that mutual purpose is at risk
debate, aggressiveness, accusations, bullying, circling back to the same topic
To stay in dialogue you must maintain_____
mutual respect
Signs that mutual respect is at risk
Defending themselves, very emotional, turn to anger, pouting, yelling
How do you respect someone you don’t respect
Honor the other person’s humanity
Don’t dwell on how you are different or what they do
Look for ways you are similar
Do not excuse their behavior but try to sympathize and empathize with them
We all have weaknesses - Can respect them for their weaknesses
True or False: Agreeing with the critic is the right attitude
True
How to disagree negotiably
Acknowledge differing opinions
Be careful about what linking word you use between agreeing with them and presenting your opinion- instead of “but” use “yes, and, or also”
Take time to learn about both sides
De-escalate the situation
De-escalation
The use of communication or other techniques during an encounter to stabilize, slow, or reduce the intensity of a conflict
What are some purposeful actions you can use to de-escalate a situation
Remain calm
Change the setting
Respect personal space
Listen
Empathize
Being a good debator requires
A mastery of facts and issues
The ability to put them together in a coherent and convincing manner
Able to respond to the rapid adaptation of arguments
Able to think fast on your feet
4 aspects of verbal communication
Tone- Speak calmly
Volume- Avoid raising your voice
Rate of speech- Talking more slowly can be calming
Inflection- Placing emphasis on words can negatively affect the situation
What motivates Explorers and what can we do to tailor their experience
Motivated by- personal curiosity
We can- Have plenty of signage and offer guidance
What motivates facilitators and what can we do to tailor their experience
Motivated by other people (family, friends, etc.)
We can- Provide information they should know to plan, demonstrations are awesome
What motivates experience seekers and what can we do to tailor their experience
Motivated by- Desire to see and experience place
We can- Special events, unique experiences, popular animals
What motivates the professional/hobbyist and what can we do to tailor their experience
Motivated by- Desire to expand their knowledge
We can- Behind the scenes stuff, invite to AAZK speakers, offer opportunity to do hobby, knowledge may be out of date, can share more in-depth information
What motivates rechargers and what can we do to tailor their experience
Motivated by- visiting to relax, restore, enjoy
We can- benches, invisible visitors, can become an explorer
How do we as animal caretakers fit into the visitor’s experience
- Help them to have positive, long-lasting memories
- Inspire them to make a difference in the real world
What is informal interpretation
One on one or small group interaction
Tailored to their questions and interests
Interacts with audiences, provides information, creates interpretive opportunities, protects resources, and promotes safety
What does informal interpretation require and what is the result
KR- knowledge of the resource
KA- knowledge of the audience
AT- appropriate interpretive technique
RESULT: IO- interpretive opportunity
Dialogic interpretation
a two way conversation based on questions asked by interpreter or guests with the goal of inspiring connections. Requires active participation. Focused on learning, inspiring connections, and inspiring action.
Dialogic questions are
Inviting
Experiental
Non-judgemental
Inclusive
Generative
ORACLE stands for
the
Only
Right
Answer
Comes from the
Lived
Experience of the audience
What is the interpreters job when conversing in dialogic interpretation
To keep the conversation about the personal experiences that people have
Two categories of dialogic interpretation
- Small talk- casual conversation meant to welcome guests and put them at ease
- Active talk- talk that happens during an interpretive experience
