Activity: Tell me, tell me, tell me true--would we find THIS at the zoo?
[use iPad to show images of unicorn, zebra, dragon, puppy, gorilla, etc--or physical figurines if have them]
Book: The Baby BeeBee Bird by Diane Redfield Massie [have group be the beebee bird: "For our first book, I need you to be really annoying. I need you to be a baby beebee bird.'" (Sing "Beebee Bobbi" to tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)
] OR Zoo Ah-Choooo! by Peter Mandel
Song [a cappella] "I Went to Visit the Zoo One Day" [tune: "Rig-a-Jig-Jig." Clap and have group clap to the beat]
I went to visit the zoo one day, zoo one day, zoo one day--
Saw some monkeys along the way, and this is what they said: ["Ooh Ooh, Ahh Ahh!"]
I went to visit the zoo one day, zoo one day, zoo one day--
Saw some snakes along the way, and this is what they said: ["Sssssss!"]
I went to visit the zoo one day, zoo one day, zoo one day--Saw a lion along the way, and this is what he said: [ROAR!!!]
OR
with book Life-Size Zoo [tune: "We're Going to Kentucky"]
We're going to the zoo today; we're going to the zoo--
I think we'll see a __________ [have kids supply animal name while I show picture] there,
and this is what he'll do [roar, beat chest, chew eucalyptus leaves, etc]
App/Sound identification: Zoo Sounds Free: "When we imitate animal noises, we're doing our best to sound like real animals, but real animals usually sound a little different than our approximations. [Perhaps mention how different languages have some up with different sounds for animals: "Cheep, cheep; piu, piu" etc]. I have some real animal sounds here on my iPad that I'm going to play. Can you guess which animal sounds like this?" [etc]
Song: Dance, Freeze, Melt by The Learning Groove from their album Rockin' Red
Book: Gladys Goes Out to Lunch by Derek Anderson
Book (standing): From Head to Toe by Eric Carle or Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
Closing Song: Laurie Berkner's "These Are My Glasses" a cappella. "Today, everything we find in our book will begin with "Z". Possibles before opening to kids for suggestions: Zebra! Zipper! The whole ZOO!
-----------------------------------------
Alernatives to swap in:
Book: Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Book: The Seals on the Bus by Lenny Hort
Action Rhyme: "Two Little [any zoo animal, a la "Two Little Blackbirds"]
Action Rhyme: "Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree"
Action Rhyme: "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed"
Action Rhyme: "Elephants in the Bathtub"
One elephant in the bathtub
Going for a swim.
Knock, knock,
[clap twice]
Splash, splash,
[slap knees]
Come on in!
[motion with both hands to come in]
[Add an elephant for two elephants in the bathtub, three, four, then…]
Five elephants in the bathtub
Going for a swim.
Knock, knock,
Splash, splash,
Oh no! It ALL fell in!
[knock all magnet pieces off of board]
Action Song: "I Came to the Zoo"
[Raise and lower hands/sit and and stand every other animal--do nothing if noun is NOT an animal]
I came to the zoo to see lions,
Elephants, tigers, and bears.
I came to the zoo to see zebras.
I love all the animals there!
I came to the zoo to see the gift shop.
Giraffes, ice cream, and bears.
I came to the zoo to see monkeys.
I love all the animals there!
Action Song: "The Elephants at the Zoo" (tune: "Farmer in the Dell")
From Kendra:
The elephants at the zoo
The elephants at the zoo
They stomp and stomp and stomp and stomp,
the elephants at the zoo
Giraffes...stretch
Monkeys...jump
Lions...roar
(Possibly end with "People...look" wearing glasses formed with hands)
