Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell and her husband, Hal, visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu as part of their tour of China last month. Photo credit: Terry Lee Marzell
Educators are well aware that travel is one of the most meaningful experiential learning opportunities available for both themselves and for their students. And summer vacation is a great time for travel! Last month, my husband Hal and I were able to spend nearly three weeks in China, and we enjoyed many unique experiences there that would serve very well as springboards for classroom lessons. One of them was a visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu.
This research center is a sanctuary for giant pandas, red pandas, and other endangered wild animals found only in China. The center also serves as the world’s pre-eminent institution for giant panda conservation, scientific research, breeding, popular science education, and cultural tourism.
The first thing we did upon our arrival was to take in a panoramic view of the entire research base. The facility was built on a summit that offers breathtaking views. Trees cover the slopes as crystal clean rivers wind down the hills.
We arrived early, and spent the next two hours wandering from one enclosure to the next, observing many of the approximately 100 giant pandas who live there enjoy their breakfast, chewing bamboo with their strong teeth while holding the stalks with their two front paws. Some of them were climbing trees to find to look for young, tender leaves. They looked very clumsy up there, but we were told that they are actually quite adept at climbing, and even if they fell a short distance they could survive it well. Our local guide shared many a surprising fact about these adorable endangered bears, and we learned a great deal about the species during our visit there. We learned to much about giant pandas that day!
I’m sure there are many teachers at both the elementary and secondary levels who would be eager to share information about giant pandas with their students. Of course, it wouldn’t be easy for an American classroom teacher to escort a group of students to Chengdu, China. But teachers who are developing classroom curriculum for their students could examine this website for the Chengdu Research Base for information to help.
