The library at Cedar Valley Elementary School was the place to be for excited children Tuesday.

Woodland Park Zoo employees spoke to students about northwest habitats.

The series is for classes in the fourth and fifth grades and is part of the Ready, Set, Discover! program, which is funded by a grant from Boeing.

Kendra Loos, 8, was one of the enthusiastic students watching the presentation and said she was learning about “Animals in the forest and coastal habitats.”

“I liked learning about how people are helping the turtles that are endangered,” Loos said.

She said one method of preserving the species is watching over turtle eggs and safely releasing the young once they’ve hatched.

Kelly Staples is the school and community engagement specialist for the Woodland Park Zoo and spoke to students while showing slides of animals. As she spoke and presented new images of creatures, kids oohed with excitement at images of turtles. Staples said one of the goals of the program is to teach kids about the habitats in their area.

Students will have another chance to learn about wildlife during an field activity at Cedar Valley Dec. 15.

Staples said the outdoor event will focus on wildlife tracking so the students can discover how to spot evidence of animals in nearby habitats.