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ZOO THEME

CRAFTS:

Elephant Film Canister Finger Puppet
1. Remove the lid from a 35 mm plastic film canister.
2. Glue gray paper around the sides and a paper circle on the bottom of the canister. Add eyes and trunk by gluing to the circle (trunk can be fan folded to make 3 D).
3. Cut ears and glue to sides (close to front circle edge ). Add a tail to the back top.
4. Place tissue inside the canister to help your finger fit snugly.

Elephant Masks
Materials:large paper plates, panty hose (stockings), markers or crayons, newspaper or packing peanuts, elastic
Take large paper plate and cut a hole in the middle. Cut one leg of a pair of panty hose and fill it with scrunched up newspaper or packing peanuts. Pull the opened end through the hole in the paper plate and knot it. Decorate the rest of the elephant mask with ears, eyes and mouth. You could use elastic on the back to hold the mask on. 

Penguin Finger puppets
Use film canisters and cut the lid in half. Hot glue them to the sides for wings. Finish up by adding a white foam belly and an orange beak and two googly eyes.

Stand Up Elephant
Fold a 9 x 12 gray construction paper to form a 6 x 4 1/2 rectangle. Cut a half circle from the open edges to form legs and a body. Save the scraps to make ears later. Clip on the fold to make a slot for the head. Cut a circle from a 6" square of gray paper for the head. Add the half circle scraps for ears. Trim them up if you need to. Add a 1 X 6 strip for the trunk. You can roll it on a pencil to make it curl up. Put the head in the slot on the back. Use a gray scrap for a tail. Draw on eyes or glue on wiggly eyes. Stand up your elephant and give him/her a name.

Thumb print Monkeys
Give each child a piece of construction paper with the outline of a tree drawn on it. Set out ink pads and felt tip markers. Let the children make thumb print monkeys all over their tree pictures. To create each monkey, have them press a thumb on an ink pad and make two thumb prints, one above the other, on their papers. Then let them complete their monkeys by adding faces, arms, legs, and tails with the markers.

GAMES & ACTIVITIES:

Animal Fair
I went to the animal fair; 
The birds and the beasts were there. 
The big baboon by the light of the moon 
Was combing his auburn hair, 
You should have seen the monk; 
He sat on the elephant's trunk, 
The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees, 
And what became of the monk, 
The monk, the monk, the monk?
(The monk, the monk, the monk... can be sung continuously by half of the group while the others sing the song again.)

Cookie Cutter Matching
Collect a variety of animal cookie cutters. Trace each onto a piece of square tag board and Laminate. Set the tag boards and cookie cutters out to match.

Counting Cages
Collect 10 plastic strawberry baskets for cages. Cut index cards in half, and write a number from 1-10 on each half. Put the corresponding number of dots for young children. Turn the baskets over and attach the cards to the top of each basket on the bottom. Set the cages out along with 55 small plastic zoo animals. Direct children to count out the right number of animals for each cage.

Elephant and Kangaroo
Equipment: none How to play: Kids from a circle with a leader in the middle. When the leader points at a Beaver and says "elephant", Kids on either side have five seconds to make elephant ears with their hands while the appointed Beaver makes a trunk with his hands. When the leader points at a Beaver and says "kangaroo", the Beaver forms the kangaroo pouch with his hands while the Kids on either side jump up and down. If the Kids don't perform the actions before the leader counts to five, they drop out of the circle, but can continue to "help out" by doing silly things to distract remaining Kids.

Fun with Penguins
Make penguin costumes from black and white bulletin board paper (like a large black collar that slips over the head with a white oval on front) and orange beak headbands from poster board. Cover several small white boxes with white paper to be ice bergs. Place them around on the carpet. Then take a rocking' boat and turn it over on the step side, cover it with white paper to be the ice cliff, and place it at the front of the carpet. As the music plays, the children climb the steps, dive off into the water, and swim around the ice bergs gobbling up fish.

Number Recognition, Counting
You'll need: black ink pad, crayons, white paper. Fold the paper into six sections. Write a number from one to six in each section. Ask the children to put as many thumb prints in each section as the number asks for. Use crayons to turn the thumb print into a penguin. Now practice counting aloud. Hold a number card aloft and work cooperatively to form rookeries (penguin living group) containing that number. Be seated and create a rookery of a different number.

Penguins on the Move
Ask the children to waddle, jump, slip, slide and dive like penguins. Be sure to allow plenty of space for them to move around freely and safely. (You may want to use a large floor mat for protection.)

Penguin Habitat
Buy some little rubber penguins at a nature store and fill a 9x13 pan with snow and build a penguin habitat. Build nests out of rocks (pebbles). The really do make their nests out of rocks.

Penguin Central
On white construction paper, photocopy a penguin. Color, laminate, and cut out each penguin. Label each penguin belly with a number. Provide fish-shaped crackers for students to use in this center. To use the center, a student places the penguin cards face up and places the corresponding number of fish shaped crackers on each penguin belly. 

Penguin Waddle Relay
Divide the class into 2 teams. place half of each team behind lines 6 to 8 yards apart. Place a 6 to 8 inch rubber ball between the knees of the first two people in line and watch them waddle like penguins to give the ball to their teammates behind the opposite line. The teammates then carry the balls back to the starting line and the waddling continues until everyone has had a turn. If the ball is dropped, the penguin must goback to his/her starting point and begin again. The winning penguins are the ones that can waddle the fastest without losing the ball.

Penguin Day
Ask your students to come to school wearing black and white.

Pinguin's Life on Ice
You'll need: large pan of frozen water, small items from classroom such as blocks, crayon, and pencil. Talk about where penguins live and the type of climate they need to survive. Show children the pan filled with ice. Let them try to move the blocks and other small items around on the ice so they can feel the cold the penguins need to survive. Slide the items across the ice then across the desk, carpet and other surfaces. Compare the results.

Polar Bear
Equipment:  None 
How to Play:  The group forms a circle and selects one person to be the "polar bear" and stand in the center.  The children in the circle run in and out of the ring, crossing the circle as they please while the polar bear tries to tag them.  The polar bear can only tag someone while inside the circle.  Those who are tagged trade places with the polar bear.

Room Zoo
Have the children bring in their favorite stuffed zoo animal and set up a zoo in the class room.

Scooting Penguins
Lie down on your stomachs on scooter boards and pretend to be penguins sledding along the ice.

The Zoo
A zoo is a place where people can see wild animals safely. At a zoo, animals are kept in houses, cages, or fenced areas that are similar to their natural homes.
Animals usually found in a zoo include elephants, lions, tigers, giraffes, monkeys, zebras, bears, hippopotamuses, snakes, and many kinds of birds.
Zoo keepers keep the animals healthy and take care of roads, walks, and flowers.
Some kinds of wild animals are in danger of dying out. People are trying to save them.

What Shape Is An Elephant?
Give a child a sheet of construction paper and tell them they will have to tear 6 shapes from this.
1. The largest shape needs to be a square.
2. Next tear a triangle about half the size of the square.
3. Tear 4 rectangles all the same size.
4. Put the shapes together to make an elephant that looks like he is walking.
5. Add details with felt pen (eyes, wiggly lines for wrinkle skin, a tail)

SONGS:

100 Animals
I went to the zoo
And what did I see?
100 animals
Looking at me.
There were,
10 tall giraffes, eating from the trees.
10 silly monkeys, scratching on their knees.
10 sleeping snakes, lying in the sun.
10 munching elephants, eating peanuts one by one.
10 leaping tigers, performing in the shows,
10 pink flamingos, standing on their toes.
10 grouchy bears, trying to get some sleep.
10 happy hippos, in the water deep.
10 roaring lions, walking two by two.
10 galloping zebras, all living in the zoo.

Did You Ever See an Elephant?
Tune: Did You Ever See a Lassie?
Did you ever see an elephant
An elephant, an elephant,
Did you ever see an elephant
Spray water with her trunk?
Spray water all over,
Spray water all over,
Did you ever see an elephant
Spray water with her trunk?
Did you ever see an elephant
An elephant, an elephant,
Did you ever see an elephant
Eat peanuts with her trunk?
Throw peanuts in her mouth,
Throw peanuts in her mouth,
Did you ever see an elephant
Eat peanuts with her trunk?
Did you ever see an elephant
An elephant, an elephant,
Did you ever see an elephant
Hug her baby with her trunk?
Wrap it this way and that way,
And this way and that way,
Did you ever see an elephant
Hug her baby with her trunk?

Five Gray Elephants
Five gray elephants, marching through the glade,
Decide to stop and play like they are having a parade. The first sings his trunk and announces he'll lead;
The next waves a flag which of course they need.
The third gray elephant trumpets a song;
The fourth beats a drum as he marches along.
While the fifth makes believe he's the whole show
And nods and smiles to the crowd as they go.
Five gray elephants, marching through the glade,
Having a lot of fun during their parade.

I'm A Little Penguin
(Tune: I'm a Little Teapot)
I'm a little penguin
On the ice.
I think cold is very nice.
I can hop around first once, then twice,
I think ice is very nice.

Miss Mary Mack
Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack
All dressed in black, black, black.
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons
All down her back, back, back.
She asked her mother, mother, mother,
for fifty cents, cents, cents,
To see the elephant, elephant, elephant,
jump the fence, fence, fence.
He jumped so high, high, high,
he reached the sky, sky, sky,
And didn't come back, back, back,
till the fourth of July, July, July.
He fell so fast, fast, fast,
He fell so hard, hard, hard,
He made a hole, hole, hole,
in her back yard, yard, yard.
He went bumpy thump, thump, thump!!

Penguin Thoughts 
Have you ever seen penguins in picture books?
I always smile when I see their looks.
They look like men in their fancy suits,
all black and white from head to boots.
I often wonder when it snows,
Do they freeze their little penguin toes?
Do they shiver and shake in their land of ice?
Sitting on icebergs CAN'T BE NICE!

Swing, Swing 
Have the children stand in a circle and hold hands. While you recite the following poem, have them swing their arms up and down.
Little monkeys swinging in the tree,
All hold hands and swing with me.
Swing up high and swing down low,
Swing in the tree, now don't let go!
Swing, swing, like I do.
Swing like monkeys in the zoo.

The Elephants Are Here!
A movement song to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell"
The elephants are here! (Look excited)
The elephants are here!
Look at all the elephants! (Shade eyes as if looking)
The elephants are here!
They're exercising now. (March in place, keeping feet on floor, pumping arms)
They're exercising now.
Look at all the elephants!
They're exercising now.
(Have kids name various exercises and do them--tricky while singing!)
They're jumping up and down!
They're jumping up and down!
Look at all the elephants!
They're jumping up and down!
They're doing push ups now
They're touching all their toes
They're spinning 'round and 'round
Keep going until kids are EXHAUSTED
Sing the last verse slowly as sink to floor and lie down on backs
They're all exhausted now...
They're all exhausted now...
Look at all the elephants...
They're all exhausted now...
ZZZZZZZ (Lots of snoring)

Three Little Penguins 
Three little penguins dressed in white and black.
Waddle, waddle forward and waddle right back!
Three little penguins, in a funny pose,
They are wearing their evening clothes.
Their suits are black and their vests are white,
They waddle to the left and they waddle to the right.
They stand on the ice and they look very neat,
As they waddle along on their little flat feet.

STORIES:
 

FOOD SUGGESTIONS:

Baked Elephant Ears
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Start with this snack that's shaped like an elephant ear.
You will need: 1 stick of pie crust mix, Medium mixing bowl, Measuring spoons Hot water, Fork, Wood board, All-purpose flour, Baking sheet, 2 tablespoons sugar. 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, Shaker or spoon
1. Have adult break pie crust into little pieces in the bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of hot water. Mix with fork till the dough sticks together.
2. Sprinkle the wood board with flour. Pat your hands with flour. Form the dough into a big ball on the board and divide into 4 parts. Form each part into a ball. To make elephant ears, use your whole hand to flatten each ball. Press hard so that the dough gets thinner. It should be about 1/4 inch thick.
3. Place each piece of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. Mix sugar and cinnamon. Place in shaker. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar topping on your elephant ears. Be careful not to get the sugar on the baking sheet. Have adult bake at 350º for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

Edible Peanutty Play dough
1/4 cup. peanut butter
1/2 cup. dry milk
1/2 tbs. honey
Knead all ingredients in a zip lock bag. Use the dough to make edible sculptures (even peanut-loving elephants!). You can even decorate the sculptures with raisins or candies. A fun activity and a yummy snack.

Elephant Heads
Needs: can biscuits (each child needs two biscuits) - cinnamon sugar - 2 raisins - a craft stick and the foil or baking paper same as above.
Give each child two biscuits. Have them place one biscuit and flatten just a little. Next with craft stick have them cut other biscuit into 3 pieces with the middle piece being narrow (this is the trunk) the 2 outside pieces are the ears.
Add to the biscuit - the 2 ears and put trunk in the middle. (Have them press the edges down so they stick to the biscuit . Add raisin for eyes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until golden brown. The children love to eat them while still warm. 

Penguin Snack 
1 slice of bread per child, spread cream cheese over top. Use 1/2 black olives for eyes (or raisins), wedge of carrot for beak, chopped black olives for wings.

Penguin Cookies
Ingredients:
1 chocolate sandwich cookie per child
1 chocolate kiss per child
Have students wash their hands. Give each child a napkin, cookie, and chocolate kiss. They twist the top off of their cookie and carefully break it in half. They place the two pieces on top of the bottom half with the icing side up and spread a little out for wings. Then they place the chocolate kiss at the top for the penguins head.

Penguin Ice Snack
You'll need: vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, small bowls or cups, spoons, whipped cream. Scoop some ice cream into a bowl and let the children add their own black and white toppings. Stop eating- if you can- and feel the cold sensation in your mouth. 

TIPS/NOTES:

Penguin Facts
Penguins:
...do not fly, they hop, walk, or toboggan
...are expert divers and swimmers
...have a thick layer of fat called blubber under skin
...do not build nests. The female lays egg, males hold egg on the top of their feet, hunches down so skin covers and warms the egg.
...raise their chicks in colonies called rookeries
...there may be thousands of penguins in one rookery