Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Z is for Zoo + Free Printable





It's been a long while since my last post but I figured I should definitely get the last letter in! Z is for zoo. Here's a few activities for you and your kiddos when learning about zoo animals or taking a field trip to the zoo! 

Before your zoo trip check  out some of the books from this great list compiled by Learning Page. 


The Zoo ( factual)
The Zoo is a very early reader that introduces children to eight familiar zoo animals through the use of both pictures and text.

The Zoo is a benchmark book and as such has no lesson plan. 

What Is at the Zoo? ( factual)
What Is at the Zoo? is about various animals that are found at the zoo. Each page asks whether a particular animal is at the zoo. The last page, which is a surprise ending, asks about an animal that would not be found at the zoo.
 

Animals, Animals ( factual)
Did you ever wonder how long a hippo can stay under water? Or if a camel's humps always stand up? Animals, Animals is about some of the animals in our world and some interesting facts about them.
 

A Visit to the Zoo ( factual)
Come along with Danni and Fran as they take A Visit to the Zoo. Going to the zoo isn't what it used to be. There are many innovative things to do and see at the zoo. There is even a school at this zoo! Can you guess which animals the girls choose as their favorites? Read the book and find out.
 

Hippo's Toothache ( fiction)
The story is about Harry the Hippo, who lives in the jungle and has a horrible toothache. His animal friends try to help him and decide that they should pull out his tooth. One by one, they try unsuccessfully to extract the tooth. Finally, the tooth is pulled. The story has a surprise ending.
 

Animal Skeletons (factual)
Are you learning about animal skeletons or the human body? If you are, then you need to read Animal Skeletons. The book looks at the similarities and differences in many types of animal skeletons. The author explains why different animals have different skeletons and uses repetitive patterns to help children feel a sense of confidence as they are reading.
 

Animal Olympics (fiction)
Animal Olympics is a whimsical book about a monkey named Bongo who has his heart set on winning a gold medal at the Animal Olympics. He competes in many events in which he does poorly. Finally he competes in an event in which he excels more than any other animal: gymnastics.
Animal Olympics is a benchmark book and as such has no lesson plan. 

Extreme Animals ( factual)
In this book, children can discover why a flamingo is pink and what animal lives the longest. Extreme Animals is an informational text that contains many fun facts about animals. After reading this book, children will be able to teach their friends and family many amazing facts about the richly varied animal kingdom.
 

How Zebras Got Their Stripes ( fiction)
This is a folktale about two donkeys who are tired of working and want an easier life. They meet a wise man who devises a solution to their problem: to turn the donkeys into zebras.
 

Birds of Prey (Level P - factual)
Birds of Prey is an introduction to birds that hunt and eat other animals. It discusses the two groups-owl-like birds and falcon-like birds-and gives examples of each. Vivid photographs support the text.
Birds of Prey is a benchmark book and as such has no lesson plan. 


Camouflage (factual)
Camouflage is a factual book that gives descriptions and examples of some of the fascinating kinds of camouflage used by animals. Why animals need camouflage and how they use it are some of the details presented in this book. It also discusses the development of camouflage.
 


Activities
1. Make a zoo sensory bin
Add rice, pebbles or other materials you want to use as your base. Then add toy animals, trees and other items that you can find around your house to go along with your zoo theme! I had a blue lid that I put in to be a water area for the hippos. 


Print out a template online or make your own for some fun creative play! 



After Your Zoo Trip

Use this FREE printable writing prompt to get your children writing about an animal or something they saw at the zoo. 
If you took photos you could make a scrapbook of your trip to keep and look at later. 

What do you do to learn about zoo animals? 

Note: This post includes affiliate links. This does not effect the cost to you, only blesses my family with a small portion. 

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