We're Going to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo!

Visit a local zoo or a community reserve park (an area where wild animals are caged in a natural environment). Observe and discuss the different animals there. Read or paraphrase the information given about the animals at the zoo or park. Call or ask about getting a guided tour for a kids group.

Animals That Live Over in the Zoo

(Sing to the Tune: “Muffin Man”)

Do you know the kangaroo, the kangaroo, the kangaroo?
Oh, do you know the kangaroo that lives over in the zoo?

(Let the kids come up with some other zoo animals to sing about. Other verses could include: monkey, elephant, giraffe, lion, turtle, bear, snake, alligator, tiger, etc.)

Born or Hatched?

Sort pictures of birds, snakes, lizards, dinosaurs, puppies, kittens, mice, horses, etc. into two bags or boxes, one labeled with a picture of an egg that says "Hatched" and one with a picture of a baby that says "Born".

Clipart of animals were found at http://www.learningpage.com/

Paper Plate Lion

Give the children paper plates, crayons, markers, scissors, yellow and brown yarn, and scissors to create a create a lion face (the yarn can be glued on to look like a mane).

Elephant Masks

Give the kids a large paper plate, have them cut a hole in the middle. Let them stuff a leg of a pair of nylons with newspaper or packing peanuts. Pull the opened end through the hole in the paper plate and knot it. They can color/paint the plate. You could use elastic to hold the mask on.

Zebra Painting

Let the children marble paint with black paint on white construction paper. Place a piece of black construction paper in a pan or box. Dip a marble in white paint and let the children roll the marble around the paper by moving and tilting the pan/box. Dip the marble in the paint whenever necessary. When the children finish they will have a fun striped zebra painting.

Our Zoo

The children can pretend to be animals in the zoo. Provide large appliance boxes that have slits cut into them to resemble cages; fur coats, blankets and/or zoo animal costumes; food pails or troughs.

Banana Butter

Mash 3 small ripe bananas with a fork.
Mix in 3/4 cup peanut butter.
Add 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp shredded coconut and 1/2 cup raisins.
Blend well, serve on bread, crackers or fruit.
While you are making it, talk about the different foods that zoo animals eat (bananas, peanuts, etc.).

Helpful Animals

Discuss how some animals can be helpful to humans. Examples: camels are used as transportation in some countries, elephants are often used to pull things, dogs can be used as seeing-eye dogs or sled dogs, goats can give milk to drink, etc. Ask the children to come up with some ideas as well.

Zoo Animals Journal Page

Read a book about zoo animals then hand out a journal sheet with this question on it: "How would you feel if you were an animal at the zoo? Why?" Record the children's responses and let them draw a picture to go along with their response.

Click on the image to view and/or print.

Playing With Animals

Place plastic zoo animals in the sensory table with sand, grass, hay, wood shavings, dirt, water, or a combination of some. You can encourage the children to build little habitats for each animal.

Walk Like the Animals

This game is played like “Simon Says:

“The zookeeper says to walk like a giraffe”. The children can walk as they believe each animal would. Repeat using different animals (monkey, elephant, lion, turtle, bear, snake, alligator, tiger, etc.). Let each child take a turn leading the game.

Animal Habitat Sort

Sort animals by habitat. Use photos/pictures of habitats such as ocean, desert, jungle, savannah, etc. Use plastic zoo animals or pictures of them and have students sort them to their correct home. It might help to have a animal habitat picture book on hand for the children to reference.

The following attachments were found at http://www.learningpage.com

Zoo Animals Lesson Plan

Click on the image to view and/or print.

Visiting the Dentist

Visit as dentist’s office. Observe the furnishings and equipment. Ask the hygienist to discuss tooth care and demonstrate proper brushing techniques. After the discussion, provide each child with a disclosing tablet to check their brushing habits.

Acid On Our Teeth

Show children how acid weakens the enamel of your teeth. Place a hard-boiled egg into a bowl of vinegar for 24 hours. Observe how the shell becomes soft as it decalcifies. The same principle applies to our teeth if the acid is not removed by brushing.
This was VERY effective way to help my kids find motivation to brush their teeth more consistently and thoroughly.

Toothpaste Taste Testing

Get as many different kinds of toothpaste as you can. Have all of your children taste them. You can even graph which ones are the most favorite and the least favorite.
*Make sure the children understand that it can be dangerous to swallow the toothpaste. Adult supervision should be provided.*

Making Toothpaste

In individual plastic bags place: 4 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp water.
Add a drop of food flavoring such as peppermint, mint, or orange.
The children can mix their own toothpaste and try it out at home.

Smiling Apples

Spread peanut butter on one side of each apple slice. Place three to four raisins on the peanut putter of one slice. Top with another apple slice, peanut butter side down.

Sensing Clean Teeth

Place in the sensory table- water, toothbrushes, and soap or peppermint extract.

You Brush Your Teeth

If you wake in the morning at a quarter to one and you want to have a little fun,
You brush your teeth ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch....
If you wake in the morning at a quarter to two and you just can’t think of what to do,
You brush your teeth ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch....
If you wake in the morning at a quarter to three and your mind keeps humming tweedle dee dee,
You brush your teeth ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch....
If you wake in the morning at a quarter to four and you just can’t seem to find the snore,
You brush your teeth ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch....
If you wake in the morning at a quarter to five and you just can’t wait to come alive,

You brush your teeth ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch....

We discovered this song from Raffi's cd "Singable Songs for the Very Young",
which we checked out from the library.
You can listen to part of the song or buy the mp3 here:
http://www.amazon.com/Brush-Your-Teeth/dp/B0010VL0HK/ref=dm_ap_trk6

Tongue Order

Number some tongue depressors with a permanent marker. Place them into a cup and let the children order them or play other number games with them.

Dentist Journal Page

Read a book about the dentist then hand out a journal sheet with this question on it: "When do you like to brush your teeth? How long do you brush for?" Record the children's responses and let them draw a picture to go along with their response.

Click on the image to view and/or print.

Sugar, Sugar, Toothbrush

Play this game as a group like “duck, duck, goose", but use the words "sugar, sugar, toothbrush" instead. The “toothbrush” tries to catch the “sugar“ before it gets around the circle to where the “toothbrush” was sitting. Don't let the sugar stay with the teeth, brush it out!

Dental Office

Set up a dental office for the children to pretend play, include any of the following props: chairs or cots, smocks, mirror, toothbrushes, floss containers, head lamps, babies or stuffed animals for patients, etc.

Toothbrush Painting

Provide toothbrushes (as a painting tool) and paint for the children to paint with at the easel.

Dentist Lesson Plan

Click on the image to view and/or print.

Autumn Sorting

Provide a variety of leaves, acorns, pine cones, pine needles, berries, seeds, etc. for the children to sort into groups, sizes, shapes or colors.

This was taken during our first preschool adventure, when my oldest was 2 years old. We have been doing preschool at home ever since, going on 5 years.

Leaves

Draw or print out a tree without leaves (see attachment below) on a big peace of paper or butcher paper. Have the children collect a variety of leaves from different trees. Glue the leaves on the paper tree. Talk about the origin of each leaf and what type of tree it came from.

Click on the image to view and/or print.