Beyond the Panda

*Virtual session available linked to this topic

A comparison project of China and Scotland aimed at  P4-P7 level, which looks at the similarities and differences between the habitats and animals of each country. The game also includes cultural items from China and Scotland. Linked virtual session is available. Please email srobb@rzss.org.uk for details. 

Partnered with JASS, this can fulfil part of the 'Me and My World' section. This can further involve actions to help save endangered animals, for example: making bird feeders, bug hotels, raising money for RZSS projects in the wild. 

The resources are available in two formats: 

• materials to download and print  -  (all materials are free to download but there is also the option to order professionally printed packs at cost price)
• online resources with interactive games. 

Click on the items in the contents lists below. 

The China/Scotland P4-P7 pack consists of:

These are character recognition activity stories. It is not expected that the children will understand the full Chinese sentences. The story books contain large pictures to help the children either count the items or see the colours. The number and colour cards are for the children to point to the correct characters and it is suggested that each child have a card while the story is being read. 

Number Story

This pack covers a range of activities to learn about the giant panda, simple classification of vertebrate animals and to reinforce Mandarin numbers and colours.

Resources are available in different formats:

• materials to download and print for group activities - click on the items listed below
• individual workbooks for printing - see Panda Folders (level 1)
• online resources with interactive games (no printing required) - at present, for P1-P3 level, there are not many interactive games. More will be developed in due course. However, do have a look at the many online games developed for upper primary, some of which may be useful. You will find these in Panda Folders and in Virtual session resources 

Some of the boards within this pack have been split into two. This is to enable printing at A3 (or A4) but to create an A2 (or A3) poster by joining the two sections. For these files there is also the option to download the single page.

The P1-P3 pack consists of:

This pack covers a range of activities to learn about the giant panda, including the history of giant panda conservation, classification of vertebrate animals, habitats and regions of China. 

Resources are available in different formats:

• materials to download and print for group activities - click on the items listed below
• individual workbooks for printing - see Panda Folders (level 2)
• online resources with interactive games (no printing required) - both in Panda Folders (level 2) and Virtual session resources    

Some of the boards within this pack have been split into two. This is to enable printing at A3 (or A4) but to create an A2 (or A3) poster by joining the two sections. For these files there is also the option to download as a single page. 

The P4-P7 pack consists of:

This pack covers a broad range of activities in science, art, history and culture. 

The S1-S2 pack consist of:

This is an advanced endangered species pack which includes a Mandarin case study for qualification level.

The Secondary Endangered Species pack consists of:

*Virtual sessions available linked to this topic

These packs have similar content to the P1-P3 (Level 1) and P4-P7 (Level 2) panda packs but have been designed as individual pupil workbooks instead of the group game activities which were in the panda packs. The panda folder is designed to be printed in booklet format, providing a double page spread for the maps and diagrams. If you cannot print in booklet format, the double spread pages are also provided as full pictures. Virtual sessions are available linked to both levels. Please email srobb@rzss.org.uk for details.

The resources are available in two formats: 

• materials to download and print  -  (all materials are free to download but there is also the option to order professionally printed packs at cost price)
• online resources with interactive games. 

Click on the items in the contents lists below. 

 free live virtual sessions available

Beyond the Panda now has an 7-8 week progressive programme of live virtual sessions for upper primary level which may also be of interest to lower secondary. 

Partnered with and   to enable safe delivery of our programme through established educational platforms. For Scotland through the schools Glow network. For other areas, delivered via Vscene. Please contact srobb@rzss.org.uk for booking and further details.  

Sound files are from native Chinese teachers through our partners at 

(At present there are only two virtual sessions for P1-P3 level - Please see Panda Folders Level 1 for details.)

Follow-on online and interactive resources for each session are listed below. Please also see the Panda Folders and the China/Scotland sections with additional materials to download and print relating to these sessions. 

For the key objectives in the P4-P7 progressive programme, please see second page of the flyer. 

Zoo Fun with Mandarin is our family and community introduction to the Mandarin language course. Currently outreach sessions and sessions which were held at Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park are postponed.

There will be FREE live virtual courses in July 2021. The course is a series of 3, one hour live virtual sessions. There are two opportunities to book, the first course will be run at 10am on Tue, Wed, and Thr 20th, 21st and 22nd July. The second course will be run at 10am on Tue, Wed, Thr 27th, 28th and 29th July. Booking for the course is not open yet but details will be available end May. For further information, contact srobb@rzss.org.uk 

The additional resources section has a number of resources which are useful for all age groups and they also cover a wide range of subjects.

Sichuan booklets