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Engineering in action: Student projects support animals at Folsom Zoo
Engineering students at Folsom High School had the chance this year to design and develop improvements at the Folsom Zoo that will support the needs of animals for years to come.
The students, led by Principles of Engineering and STEM lead teacher Pam Goldman, first visited the zoo earlier this year to learn about different animals, their needs – and then broke into teams of four to select an animal “customer” for whom to design a project. In collaboration with zoo staff, here are just a few of the projects students created:
- A wolf-hybrid sandbox, to encourage the canines to dig in areas less destructive to their zoo habitat (students also installed a French drain to capture water runoff)
- A "Bear-ell" - a barrel suspended several feet off the ground that bears can rotate, dropping treats to the ground.
- A bear bed, made with a steel frame and reclaimed fire hose for its durability.
PHOTOS: Click here to see students installing their projects earlier this week at the zoo!