Minnesota Zoo ZOOMS STEM Design Challenge

ZOOMS STEM Design Challenge

The ZOOMS STEM Design Challenge presented by Flint Hills Resources offers students a chance to develop a solution to a ‘real’ problem faced by Zookeepers and staff at the Minnesota Zoo. From designing an enrichment, to building a model of a renovated animal exhibit, the problem will challenge students to use their science and math knowledge, creativity, problem solving, and research skills during the engineering design process in order to best solve the problem and present a solution. Selected students are invited to showcase their design challenge solution in the ZOOMS Design Exhibition in March at the Minnesota Zoo!

2026-2027 ZOOMS STEM Design Challenge

If you are a grade 3-12 teacher looking for ways to engage your students in authentic integrated STEM, join the ZOOMS STEM Design Challenge presented by Flint Hills Resources for the 2026-2027 school year! Participation is completely free! ZOOMS teachers receive access to digital resources, support throughout the school year from Zoo staff and access to free teacher trainings. To learn more about the ZOOMS design challenges for this school year, view the Enrichment and Exhibit Design Challenge Guidelines below.

Sign up your class to participate by clicking the ‘Classroom Sign Up - Click Here!’ link below the design challenge descriptions by Friday, November 13th, 2026. If you would also like to attend a ZOOMS teacher training, please register by visiting the Professional Development webpage linked in the section below.

ZOOMS Design Challenge Teacher Training Options - FREE!

Learn about the design challenges and the animals your students will be designing for! Hear directly from the Zookeepers, visit the animal spaces, and learn about resources you can use to support your students!
*If you plan to attend a training, you will need to BOTH register for the training on the Zoo’s professional development website and sign up your class to participate using the ‘Class Sign Up Now’ form linked below the design challenge descriptions.

STEM at the Zoo: Intro to the ZOOMS Design Challenge

*Design Challenge class sign-up not required to attend.
If you are a new teacher who has never done the ZOOMS challenge before, this training will overview how to use the Zoo to teach STEM, overview the ZOOMS Challenge process, and allow teachers a chance to practice supporting activities such as animal behavior ethograms, enrichment exploration, exhibit use studies, and more. This training is meant to give teachers broader knowledge of the Zoo before participating in the ZOOMS Challenge trainings in the fall.

Enrichment Challenge Description
At the Minnesota Zoo, our zookeepers provide amazing care for a variety of raptors, including: Waḣca the bald eagle; our three great horned owls, Wilbur, Athena, and Cricket; Ripley the red-tailed hawk; and Pippin, The Boss, and Malcolm, the burrowing owls. These ambassadors live across the zoo—from the Minnesota Trail to behind the scenes at the Wings and Things Show and the Treetop Trail.

Every day, our team strives to meet each species' unique needs by encouraging natural hunting instincts and foraging behaviors. Zoo staff are looking for more creative and unique ideas to expand our enrichment program for these birds! Designs should consider the different lifestyles of these birds as some work closely with handlers as stars of our Wings and Things show, while others remain in their habitats year-round. These birds need innovative ways to stay active and engaged enrichment that challenges their sharp minds and talons.

Enrichment Challenge Guidelines

Exhibit Design Challenge Description
The Minnesota Trail’s outdoor bird deck was once a space for birdwatchers to observe wild birds visiting a variety of bird feeders, but today, it sits quiet and unutilized. Minnesota Zoo leaders see this as a golden opportunity imagining how this space could be used while still offering guests the opportunity to continue to connect to native Minnesota birds in a more purposeful way. Therefore, the Zoo is envisioning a brand-new ‘Raptor Experience’—a series of three modern habitats that would include expanding our Bald Eagle’s home and bring at least two new behind-the-scenes raptor species into new dedicated homes for public view; the great horned owl, red-tailed hawk, and/or burrowing owls. The Zoo is looking for help developing this concept to transform the space into a purposeful destination meets animal and zookeeper needs while also serving as a platform to teach guests about the importance of Minnesota bird conservation and tell the rehabilitation story of all the raptors in our care.

Exhibit Design Challenge Guidelines