More than 1,000 second graders in the Rochester City School District traded in their traditional classrooms this week for a more hands-on learning experience.

The city school district and the Seneca Park Zoo worked together to form the 'Zoo Scholars' program. Some 1,300 second graders will visit the zoo over the course of two days where they will be tasked with gathering data on four specific animals.

Organizers and students say the program is a great way to get the kids involved and having fun, all while learning.

"All of the activities they’re doing are connected to their learning standards and they’re collecting data while they're here at the zoo, but the learning will continue back in the classroom, so there are follow-up activities they can do while using the information that they gained at the zoo,” said Kelly Ulrich, director of education at the Seneca Park Zoo.

Part of the funding for the program was given by a grant from the ESL Charitable Foundation.