In preparation for this overnight adventure, students learned about scientific classification and were assigned to select and study an animal currently on exhibit at the zoo. In addition to the scientific research they do to learn more about their animal, students will reinforce their understanding of the animals through art. 

"A friend of mine took an art class in which the artist said, 'To really learn about something, draw it,'" said 9-12 lead teacher Shelley Robyn. "Then you observe it more closely and pay more attention to it."

To achieve this deeper understanding and appreciation for their chosen animals, the 9-12 students have been working with art teacher Laurie Muhlbauer on their drawing skills, with a focus on sketching animals in motion. They will observe and sketch Hazelnut, the 9-12 classroom pet rabbit, as practice. 

On their first day in Washington, the 9-12 class will look for skeletal displays of their chosen animals at the Museum of Natural History. There, they will spend time sketching their animal's skeletons (or a close relative's if their animals aren't represented).

Laurie stresses the importance of studying and drawing a subject's skeleton before you sketch the subject itself.

"It's why artists start with anatomy drawing," she said. "To understand what's on the outside, you have to understand what's on the inside first."

The following day at the zoo, students will find their chosen animals and sketch them live. They will use these sketches, as well as their observations, to learn more about their animals' zoo habitats and compare them to what they've learned about their natural habitats.