Kindergarten
Unit 1
Pets, Farm Animals, and
Zoo Animals:
The Same And Different
Writers:
Kathleen Eveleigh
Pam Crocker
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I. Grade Level/Unit Number: Kindergarten
II. Unit Title: Pets, Farm Animals, Zoo Animals the Same and Different
III. Unit Length: 6 weeks
IV. Unit Goals:
The learner will be able to:
o Observe similarities and differences in animals
o Observe animal behavior
o Demonstrate proper care of many different animals
o Describe and observe using properties of common objects
V. Objectives Included:
Unit Title: Pets, Farm Animals, Zoo Animals The Number of
Same and Different.
Weeks: 6-7
Number Competency or Objective
RBT Tag
1.01
Observe and describe the similarities C3
1.02
and differences among animals.
1.03
Observe how animals interact with their
1.04
surroundings.
C3
1.05
Observe the behaviors of several
common animals.
C3
Demonstrate how to care for a variety
of animals.
B3
Observe the similarities of humans to
animals.
C3
3.03
Describe how objects look, feel, and
B2
3.04
sound using their own senses.
Observe that objects can be described C3
and sorted by their properties.
VI. ELD/EC: Suggestions are italicized within the unit.
VII. Materials and Equipment
 Any items needed for your class pet (tank, food, bedding, etc.)
 Science Notebooks
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 Manipulatives for simulated items: (food, leashes, collars, bowls,
etc.)
 Shoe boxes
 Construction paper (Blue, green, brown)
 Scissors
 Glue sticks
 Markers
 Chart paper
 Poster Board
 Pictures of different pets, farm animals, zoo animals
 Magazines
 Stuffed animals
 Paper cut outs- dog bones, worms, dry cat food,
 Clip Boards
 Projector for Computer (If available)
 Plastic Animal (pet, farm and zoo)
 Feather, Wool, fur, hair, egg shells
 A blindfold
 Small cards with pictures of mother and baby animals
 3 hula hoops
 Cardstock
 Farm or zoo animal puppets (bought or homemade)
 String
 Straw hat/ coveralls
 Balance for math center
 A variety of dairy product containers (full or empty)
VIII. Big Ideas: Change, Similarities and Differences
IX. Unit Notes:
The activities in this unit are based on the 5 E lesson plan format. First you
will use Engage to draw the students in. This is the time to ask inquiry type
questions. Next you will allow the students time for Explore. Then you will
explain the concepts you want to cover for that lesson. Sometimes you will
allow the students time to elaborate or extend the lesson independently or
whole class and finally you will evaluate if your objective has been met.
The lessons will overlap and support each other. The Unit is divided up
into 3 parts. The first 2 weeks will focus on pets. The second two weeks
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will focus on farm animals and the third two weeks will focus on zoo
animals. There will be a final culminating activity in which children will
share information learned, sing songs, and recite poems. Students in
kindergarten use their five senses to observe animals in the world around
them. This unit should provide an atmosphere where children are
investigating, learning and exploring the concepts and objectives
mentioned above as they apply to pets, farm animals, and zoo animals.
Young children need opportunities to explore and observe the animals they
are learning about. They should be able to collect data and explore
variations in the animal world. The unit we have developed is based on
developmentally appropriate practices that will require more informal
assessment of concepts taught rather than traditional paper and pencil
activities. The biggest portion of this unit will occur in teacher directed
activities, but also at centers and in small group. We hope that the children
will develop a keen sense of the differences and similarities between the
animal groups they will be learning about. They will be able to discuss how
the animals feel, how they move, what their needs are and why people
think they are important. This unit ties in with lots of practical real life
experiences. For your ESL students you may need to take more time to
develop prior knowledge. Pictures, videos, and the internet can all help
with visuals for these experiences.
For safety reason you will want to explain at some point in the first two
weeks the steps one needs to take when they come across a stray pet.
Make sure the students know to stay away from animals they don’t know.
Explain the possibility of the animal being sick and making them very sick if
they are not careful. Have them get an adult and make sure they get to a
safe place away from the animal. Next, they must call the proper authority
or if the pet has a collar, the adult could locate a phone and contact the
owner. In some cases people keep the animal and place information in the
paper or local radio looking for the owner. (They need parental consent
before this is done.) Have children role play what to do when they see a
stray animal. Write up several scenarios on cards and have children
choose one to act out.
Assessment
In kindergarten assessments should be ongoing, embedded in every
lesson classroom experience, and should be connected to unit objectives.
The teacher should consider what each objective is focusing on, and
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anticipate specific behaviors or ideas to look/listen for when interacting with
children. When you hear or observe misunderstandings the children are
making, make note of those misunderstandings and then adjust your
Explains appropriately. Much of your observations will occur during the
Explore and Elaborate parts of the lesson.
The following three-point rubric may be adapted to your county's grading
scale to evaluate students' work during these lessons.
• 3 points: Students were highly engaged in class discussions; were
able to demonstrate a clear understanding of the vocabulary and give
correct examples appropriate to the lesson
• 2 points: Students participated in class discussions; were able to
demonstrate a basic understanding of the vocabulary and give mostly
correct examples; drew pictures that were somewhat appropriate to
the lesson.
• 1 point: Students participated minimally in class discussions; were
unable to demonstrate
Science Notebooks
Look at children’s notebooks for evidence of observation of class pet,
including drawings, labels, and questions.
Centers
Throughout the unit the following center activities can run along with your
other regular centers. You will probably want to add materials to these
centers as the weeks go on. Some suggestions are given for each week.
Technology Suggestions:
Kidpix is a program that provides children opportunities to draw pictures.
You can use this program in place of having children draw pictures.
Inspiration/Kidspiration is a program that helps children make graphic
organizers. It can be used with almost any lesson to do in the Elaborate
section of the lessons. As an EC/ESL activity this is a great program to help
build prior knowledge.
Garageband provides wonderful opportunities for children to make podcast
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that can be put on a webpage.
IMovie and IPhoto are wonderful products to produce a movie that
documents the process of the unit. IPhoto pictures can be downloaded into
an IMovie in a matter of minutes. Then children can voice over the pictures
and the end product is quite wonderful. This movie can be presented to
other classes, parents, or put on a web page.
A documentation board is a great way to show what you are learning along
the way, the science process in action. You can take pictures and either
have them developed or print them on a computer. Then take direct quotes
from the children about what they are learning. This is also a great place to
put artwork that shows connections between what the children are learning
and what the children are doing.
Websites:
www.petwebsite.com
www.centralpets.com
www.popularpets.net
www.virtualpetsworld.com
www.bembeszoo.com
X. Global Content:
NC SCS
21st Century Skills
Grade
Communication Skills
1.01, 1.02, Conveying thought or opinions
1.03, 1.04, effectively
1.05, 3.03,
3.04
When presenting information,
distinguishing between relevant
and irrelevant information
1.03, 3.03 Explaining a concept to others
Interviewing others or being
interviewed
Computer Knowledge
Using word-processing and
database programs
Activity
Week 1-6 All
Activities
NA for Kindergarten
Week 6- lesson 4
NA for Kindergarten
NA for Kindergarten
6
1.01
Developing visual aids for
Week 6-Lesson2
presentations
1.02
Using a computer for
Week 3-Lesson 2
communication
Learning new software programs NA for Kindergarten
Employability Skills
1.01, 1.04 Assuming responsibility for own
Week 1-Lesson
learning
3 Week 4-Lesson 3
Persisting until job is completed
NA for Kindergarten
1.01
Working independently
Week 1-6 all lessons
Developing career interest/goals NA for Kindergarten
1.03, 1.04 Responding to criticism or
Week 1-Lesson
questions
1 Week 6-Lesson 4
Information-retrieval Skills
1.02
Searching for information via the Week 3-Lesson
computer
3 Week 4-Lesson 4
1.01
Searching for print information
Week 6 -Lesson 2
1.02
Searching for information using
Week 3- Lesson 3
community members
Language Skills - Reading
Following written directions
NA for Kindergarten
1.04
Identifying cause and effect
Week 1-Lesson 2
relationships
Summarizing main points after
NA for Kindergarten
reading
1.01, 1.04 Locating and choosing appropriate Weeks 1-6 All
reference materials
lessons
All
Reading for personal learning
Week 1-6 All
objectives
lessons
Language Skill - Writing
All
Using language accurately
Weeks 1-6 All
objectives
lessons
Organizing and relating ideas when NA for Kindergarten
writing
Proofing and Editing
NA for Kindergarten
1.01
Synthesizing information from
Week 6-Lesson 2
several sources
Documenting sources
NA for Kindergarten
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1.02
1.04
1.01
1.03
Developing an outline
NA for Kindergarten
Writing to persuade or justify a
NA for Kindergarten
position
Creating memos, letters, other
Week 2- Lesson 3
forms of correspondence
Teamwork
Taking initiative
Week 5-Lesson 2
Working on a team
NA for Kindergarten
Thinking/Problem-Solving Skills
Identifying key problems or
Week 1-Lesson 1
questions
Evaluating results
NA for Kindergarten
Developing strategies to address Week 4- Lesson 2
problems
Developing an action plan or
NA for Kindergarten
timeline
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Week 1 Activity Set
Lesson 1 - (Whole Class) - Introduction to Pets
Materials:
 Chart paper
 Markers
 Box or Plastic container with objects that you might need for a pet.
 Science Notebook
Engage: To start the unit by showing the children a large box of materials.
Ask the following inquiry questions:
 What do the items in this box make you think of?
 What do we need these different items for?
 What do you use them for?
Explore: Now, have students sit in a large circle with a box in the middle,
invite the children to help explore the items in the box. At this time do not
offer a lot of Explain, allow students to give a variety of answers. Check for
misunderstanding, but do not teach at this point. Let their responses help
you to determine where you want to go with the unit.
Explain: Make a KWL chart and list any questions students have and want
to explore. Start with what the children (K) Know about pets. Next, ask
what the children (W) Would like to learn about pets.
Elaborate: Students should draw and write about their ideas about pets in
their Science Notebook. You will want to make their notebooks ahead of
this lesson.
Evaluate: Save the (L) for what the children have Learned at the end of the
first two weeks of the unit. To aid all students and especially EC/ESL
students, you could show and point out the items name on the chart. Also,
reread the information list and have students repeat after you to allow ESL
an opportunity to practice the language. Use pictures to allow better
understanding.
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Lesson 2 – (Whole Class)Materials:
 Chart Paper
 Markers
Engage: Discuss having a class pet. Brainstorm ideas for pets that could
be kept in the classroom.
Explore: Have several labeled pictures of different pets available during
the discussion. EC/ESL Draw pictures of needed items so they follow the
discussion.
Explain: Use brainstorm idea to discuss with the children what would
make an appropriate classroom pet and what will not. For example—a
rabbit makes a great pet for some people, but if you do not have the
materials, the time to work with and care for a rabbit, it does not make a
great classroom pet. Try to bring the children to decide on an animal that
you can care for. Teach the students, that a veterinarian is a person who is
trained to care for pets. When the students are helping the classroom pet,
they can put themselves in the role of a veterinarian.
Elaborate: Once you have chosen a pet, you should do a shared writing
activity to create a list of needs for your classroom pet. For your EC/ESL
students add pictures to the list as you go. If possible have a vet come for
a visit to tell what their job involves.
Evaluate: To check for understanding, review the list of needs for a
classroom pet with the class. You will point to an item and they should
read it back to you.
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Lesson 3 – (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Class pet and the items it needs
 Song written on chart paper
 Chart from previous lesson
Engage: Teach the children this song:
Love Your Pets
(to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
By: John Kitching
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems49.html
Explore: Introduce a class pet, even a goldfish will qualify, and check back
to see if the list of materials is complete. Give the students some time to
look at the animal and talk about it.
Explain: Explain to the students that you are going to set a timer to go off
during your school lesson. When it goes off, no matter what we are
involved in, we are going to stop and care for our pet. You may feed one
time, take for a walk another time, bathe, take to the vet, give medicine,
clean the pin, give water, etc. (do this for a couple of lessons) Make sure
that they get the point across to the sacrifices a pet owner makes to
properly care for their pet. During your Science time, have students list
pros and cons to becoming a pet owner on a Chart.
Elaborate: Students can decide on a name for the pet. Let them come up
with a list of names and then vote on one for your pet.
Evaluate: Students will draw the class pet and its habitat in their
notebooks. Have EC/ESL students verbally review one on one with the
teacher steps taken to prepare the pet habitat. Demonstrate writing
something they tell you.
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Lesson 4 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 A book about pets
 2 chart papers to write a class schedule and a pet schedule
Engage: Read a book about a pet, like Wet Pet, Dry Pet, Your Pet, My
Pet, (Dr. Seuss Nursery Collection) and let the children talk in pairs about
the pet in the book.
Explore: Make a schedule of what the class has done on that lesson or
review your class schedule.
Explain: Explain how pets are like human in that they need a schedule.
People develop a schedule to meet the needs for the pet as well as job
assignments to fulfill those needs. Brainstorm needs that both the students
and the pet have and needs that are different using a Venn-Diagram.
EC/ESL students would benefit from drawings of the items written to make
the connection. In addition you could have ESL students to give a name
for the need in their language.
Elaborate: Add an item(s) to the habitat such as a tunnel, plant, etc.
Students should observe the pet’s behavior and use directional words to
describe the movements the pet may make.
Evaluate: Students will write about the pet’s behavior when adding the
object in their Science Notebooks. Make sure students are verbalizing their
observations prior to writing. All young children and especially EC/ESL
students can benefit from listening to their peers prior to writing.
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Center Suggestions for Week 1
The following centers can be added to integrate subject matter. These
centers are prepared to allow ESL and all students opportunities to read,
write, speak and listen. This will enhance their ability to process these
materials.
Science: Have daily observations of the class pet. Students should record
their observations in their science notebooks.
Blocks: Add plastic animals to block center allowing students to develop a
habitat for their particular pet.
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Week 2 Activity Set
Lesson 1 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Projector
 Guest visitor who can bring a pet
 Charts from previous lesson
Engage: Make a list on the board of questions to ask your pet owner.
Explore: Find and share a video from YouTube (For example: beautiful
movie of pets) to show pets and their owners. Give them 5 minutes to talk
in pairs about what they saw.
Explain: Invite the owner of a pet, a pet store operator or a breeder of pets
into the classroom to further answer questions. They may be able to bring
some pets for viewing. Have the expert look at the question chart to
answer the questions the children have.
Elaborate: For homework have each student bring in a picture or a
drawing of their pet or one they would like to have.
Evaluate: Observe individual children as they care for the classroom pet.
Make notes about what you observe.
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Lesson 2 – (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Poem written on a chart
 Pictures from home of their pets
Engage: Introduce the poem:
Our Pet Rhyme
(Author Unknown)
http://www.childfun.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=79
Explore: Have each student share their pictures and name items needed
to care for this pet.
Explain: Explain to the children that pets react to their surroundings.
Explain that how a pet is cared for directly effects whether or not a pet is
happy. Pets bring us humans lots of joy, but we have to be responsible for
them. As an analogy you can tell the children that if we need something we
go to Wal-Mart. Our pets can't do that. They depend on us. To follow up
show the website www.avma.org/care4pets/ to show the many aspects of
caring for pets.
Elaborate: Students could sort the pictures they brought in to like animals
or like needs.
Evaluate: Students will record the lessons activity in their notebooks.
EC/ESL students will benefit from the repetition of this activity as well as
the visuals to go with the language.
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Lesson 3 – (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Chart paper Guest visitor with a dog that helps others in some way.
Engage: Make a list of jobs different pets can do. (If you have Inspiration
or Kidspiration as a computer program you can make a visual graphic
organizer to show pets that work. This would be great done on a big
screen with a projector.)
Explore: Have the children get into groups of two. One will be a parent
and one will be the child. Act out why a pet could be helpful to you or your
family. Have the children share the experience whole group.
Explain: Explain to students that often some kinds of animals that usually
become pets are trained to do other things. Provide students with a visit
from an animal used for special jobs such as, seeing-eye dogs, drug dogs,
police dogs, police horses, therapy animals, etc.
Elaborate: Make a thank you card for the pet that visited to thank it for
what it does for others. EC/ESL- Have these children paired up with an
English speaking child. The ESL children can illustrate the card while the
English speaker writes the words or supports the ESL child with writing the
words.
Evaluate: Students should write about this visit from a helping pet in the
Science Notebook. Check for understanding.
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Lesson 4 – (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Pictures of animals (humans, dogs, fish, cat, birds)
Engage: Display pictures (actual, posters, or black line master from the
DPI Math notebook or drawings) of a human, cat, dog, fish and bird. Give
the children 5 minutes to talk among themselves about the pictures.
Explore: Have the children look at the pictures and then as a group
compare these photos for likenesses and differences.
Explain: Explain to the students that these comparisons could include
number of legs, what they eat, how they move, where they can live, their
outer body descriptions, etc. Make a list of their ideas for each picture.
Elaborate: Students should choose one pet to draw and write about in their
Science Notebook. [During centers this week, encourage children to visit
the art center to make their chosen animal from clay.] EC/ESL students will
benefit from pictures and having the pictures with parts labeled to make a
connection from word to object.
Evaluate: Make animal puzzles by cutting up three different animal
pictures from the beginning of this lesson. Next, individually have the
children put the animal pictures back together. After you have assessed
each student, place the pictures in a center for further Explore.
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Center Suggestions for Week 2
Art: Using clay or play dough, have students explore making pets. Display
pictures of animal sculptures.
Writing: The students can make daily observations of the class pet.
Students should record their observations in their science notebooks.
Make a list of pet related words to support the children’s writing. Example:
furry, fuzzy, wiggly, rough. Also make sure to display all pictures and
charts done in earlier lessons to support young writers.
Math: Have different sizes of stuffed and plastics animals for students to
measure and balance.
Math: Have dog bones in baggies in the amounts of 20, 10, 16, and 5.
Have students share these bones equally between two dogs drawn on
paper. The 5 is added to see if they would know to break it in half to share.
This activity could be done with fish using paper worms, cats using dry cat
food made from paper, etc.
Cooking Activity: Make dog biscuits for the shelter. Package the dog
bones and donate them to the local dog shelter. Allegy concern: Some
students cannot be in the room with or handle certain foods such as
peanuts. Be sure to address these concerns and make necessary
accommodations before proceeding.
Pet Snack Recipe
Use cookie cutters to cut toast into bone shapes for "doggy snacks"
and fish shapes for "kitty snacks."
Need: 1/2 C peanut butter,1/2 C dry milk, 1 T. honey, 2 T. graham
cracker crumbs, finely crushed Mix in bowl: 1/2 C peanut butter, 1/2 C
dry milk. Add: 1 T. honey and mix very well. Divide into 6 balls. Mold
each piece into shape of dog bone. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs
on both sides.
Whole group games:
Obedience School Based on Simon Says, preface the commands with
"the trainer says" Use appropriate dog tricks or behaviors such as: lie
down, beg for a treat, roll over, speak (woof), scratch your ear, wag your
tail, show your tongue and pant.
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How do dogs eat? Put a favorite snack, cupcake, etc. on a paper plate on
the floor. Have children get down on their hands and knees and try to eat
without using their hands. What about water? Can they drink out of a cereal
bowl filled with water?
Farm Animals - Note to the teacher:
This part of your unit is going to focus on farm animals and how they are
the same or different from pets. The main idea you want to convey to your
students is that farm animals have a purpose to either work or provide food
for humans. A question that your class will ponder is can pets be farm
animals and can farm animals be pets.
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Week 3 Activity Set
Lesson 1 - (Whole Class)Materials:
 Chart Paper
 Variety of plastic animals from pets and farm
 Farm animal puppets (pictures from web or a calendar or magazine
put on a popsicle stick will work)
Engage: Sing “Old McDonald Had a Farm.” Use puppets (bought or
homemade) to act out the different animals.
Explore: Do a shared writing or interactive writing of what animals the
children might see on a farm?
Explain: Explain to the children that you are going to make a web of their
responses. How do these animals compare to the pets we learned about
earlier? Put the word Farm Animals in one circle and the word Pets in
another circle. Then use lines to write different ideas off of each web.
EC/ESL Keep this poster up in the classroom so the children can look at it
and use it as a resource.
Elaborate: Give children a variety of plastic farm animals and pets. Let
them play with them ESL- In a small group go on the web with your ESL
students and look for the names of animals in their language. (dog- perro,
cat- delgato etc...)
Evaluate: Have the children draw one farm animal in their notebook. They
can write one sentence about their animal. For your EC/ESL students,
have lots of animal pictures on hand. You can label these pictures in
English and Spanish.
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Lesson 2 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 A book about the Farm
 string
 pictures of pets and farm animals
Engage: Read "Mrs. Wishy Washy" or another big book about farm
animals. Use inquiry-based questions to find out what the children know
about how we describe animals.
Explore: Make a large Venn Diagram on the floor of your classroom using
string or tape. Give the children pictures of pets and farm animals. Let the
children place the card where they think they should go.
Explain: Explain to the students that animals can be observed and
described in many different ways. Their color, texture, movement, size,
and importance to humans are all ways in which we can sort animals.
EC/ESL- Holding up a book or having pictures available while you explain
will help understanding. If you have PowerPoint available you can make a
quick PowerPoint using Google images and just a small amount of text.
Show your PowerPoint on a projector or TV.
Evaluate: After they are done, discuss misunderstandings and reteach that
animals can be sorted by many properties.
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Lesson 3 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 projector
 feathers, wool, fur, hair, egg shells
 a blindfold
Engage: Show the children a short video from YouTube or United
Streaming about farm animals. Give the children 5 minutes to discuss what
they saw.
Explore: Bring in feathers, wool, fur, hair, and egg shells. Use a blindfold
to give the children a chance to use their sense of feeling. Have the
children come up and touch the different materials. Ask them which farm
animals they think would feel like the material. Example: (This is soft it
feels like wool it could be a lamb.)
Explain: Teach the children that farm animals have different coverings.
Explain that we can sort animals by how they feel.
Elaborate: Have the children write one sentence about how a farm animal
feels. Examples of prewritten sentences:
horses feel _________________
sheep feel___________________
chickens feel________________
Evaluate: Have the children work in their notebook to show their level of
understanding.
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Lesson 4 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Book about baby animals
 Chart paper
 Small cards with pictures of mother animals and their babies on them
Engage: Read a book about baby animals like Baby Bear, Baby Bear,
What Do You See? by Bill Martin.
Explore: Make a chart of mother farm animals. Let the students tell you
the names of the babies. EC/ESL: Make sure there are pictures on your
chart.
Explain: Explain to the children that in the Spring many baby animals are
born on the farm. Explain that some babies identify their mother by their
sound and some by their feeling. Explain that baby animals often have
different names than their adult counterparts. (Sheep/lamb, Cow/calf,
Dog/puppy)
Elaborate: Teach them to play a matching game where you pass out
premade cards with pictures of mothers and babies. Make sure you have
enough mothers and babies for each child. Put the mother animals on one
side of the room and the babies on the other side of the room. Have the
mothers find their babies. Then bring the class back together. Ask the
children what sound each baby makes. Mix up the cards. Play the game
again and let the babies make the noises they would make. See if the
mothers could find their babies by the sound they make.
Evaluate: Individually call up students and have them match 5 of the baby
mother cards to their mothers. Take notes of their misunderstandings.
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Week 4 Activity Set
Lesson 1 - (Whole Class)Materials:
 Chart Paper to write the song on.
 Chart paper to list animals on.
Engage: Sing "Take Me Out to the Barnyard"
Take Me Out to the Barnyard
(tune: Take Me Out to the Ballgame)
By: Judy Hall
http://www.kinderkorner.com/farm.html
EC/ESL: Make small puppets of cows, pigs, horses, chickens, and eggs.
(This can be done by printing pictures from the computer on a color printer,
laminating the pictures, and taping them on a popsicle stick.)
Explore: Ask if a pig can be a pet? Why are pets different from farm
animals? Give the children 5 minutes to discuss with a partner why pets
and farm animals are different.
Explain: Discuss with the students the fact that different people have
different relationships with different kinds of animals. Help bring the
children to an understanding that farm animals are used for work and pets
are more for enjoyment by humans. Yet humans can enjoy farm animals
and pets can do jobs. They have similarities and differences.
Elaborate: As a group, do an interactive writing to make a chart of jobs that
farm animals do.
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Lesson 2 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Chart Paper with the poem on it.
 Small picture cards with pets and farm animals
 Straw hat/coveralls
Engage: Read the poem:
To The Farm
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
EC/ESL- Use pictures to support understanding
Explore: Play a game called Animal Round Up. Pass out pictures of
animals that are pets. Pass out pictures of farm animals. Pick one student
to be a farmer. He or she will go around to pick only the farm animals.
After all the animals have been picked, mix them up and pick another
farmer. EC/ESL- If possible provide a straw hat and coveralls for the
farmer.
Explain: Explain to the students that farm animals are not the same as
pets. Farm animals behave differently than pet. Farm animals often have
different needs than pets. Explain that most farm animals do not have
names, but that farmers may have animals that are pets, and those animals
they give names to. Explain that farmers need their animals while pets are
more of something people want.
Elaborate: Have the children work in small groups to act out asking their
parents for a pet. Can they make a case for needing a pet? Is wanting a
pet a good of enough reason to get a pet.
Evaluate: Informally while the children act out the scenario check for
understanding of wants and needs.
Lesson 3 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Straw hat/coveralls
 Chart Paper
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 Pictures of products produce by farm animals
 A variety of dairy product containers (full or empty)
Engage: Let the children play the farmer game from the lesson before. Let
one or two different children dress as the farmer.
Explore: Bring in a variety of dairy products. Allow the children time to look
at them and discuss them.
Explain: Explain to the children that farm animals also provide food.
Without farmers providing us with certain food, there would be many things,
like ice-cream that we could not eat.
Elaborate: Make a list of all the different foods that come from farm
animals. Divide the foods into groups:
Meat
.
Eggs
Milk
Evaluate: Have the children draw small pictures to help illustrate the chart.
EC/ESL Have these children help you in a small group to tape the pictures
onto the chart in the correct place.
26
Lesson 4 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Projector
 Computer
 Sheet of paper for each child labeled Pet/Farm (see below)
Engage: Watch a You Tube video or United Streaming video of a dairy
farm. Give the children time to discuss the video and ask questions.
Explore: Give the children a sheet of paper divided into two parts. Label
the paper at the top.
Pet
Farm
Ask them to draw a pet on one side and a farm animal on the other side.
Then have them work with a partner to talk about their animal.
Explain: Call the class together and re-teach if necessary.
Elaborate: Shared Reading (Whole Class or Small Group): Choose a
predictable book or song that includes farm animal names and movements,
like the familiar, Mrs. Wishy Washy (see resource list). Use the book to
talk about and act out movements of animals on the farm.
Evaluate: As they are talking, walk around the room. Listen to the
Explains and try to clear up misunderstandings. Make notes of which
students are not able to determine the differences. Post their drawings in
the classroom for further reference.
27
Center Suggestions for Week 4
Shared Reading (Whole or Small Group): Choose a predictable book or
song that includes farm animal names and sounds, like the familiar, Old
MacDonald, or The Farm Concert (see resource list). Use the book to talk
about the names and sounds of animals on the farm.
Science Center: Have available a variety of objects for children to explore
throughout the unit. Inquiry objects might include feathers, fur, horse hair,
cleaned chicken eggs, animal feed. Have the children’s science notebooks
available at this center for recording observations.
Construction Center: Include plastic farm animals in this center. Books
and pictures about animals in barns, pastures and pens will give children
ideas for construction.
Reading Center: Have available lots of books on farms and farm animals,
especially non-fiction. (Nonfiction inspires great discussion during book
viewing.) I include picture cards with photos of animals and the names of
the animal. The kids love laying these out on the floor and talking about
them.
Dramatic Play: The children can pretend to play farm. They can make a
simple mural during art center to show a barn. They can make a set of
name tags to show who will be the farmer and then the many different
animals. Any puppet made and used thus far in the unit can be placed in
the Dramatic Play center.
Art Center: Place pictures of farm animals and lots of materials that they
could use to make puppet. (All sizes of paper bags, googley eyes, pipe
cleaners, feathers, construction paper.)
Field Trip: At this time a field trip to a farm or pumpkin patch would greatly
enhance the learning experience for the children. They would have an
opportunity to see the animals presented in the unit first hand. They will be
able to apply many of the skills and objectives they have learned so far.
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Zoo Animals- Note to the teacher: At this point of the unit your students
should have a clear understanding of pets and farm animals. They should
understand the needs of both and how they interact with humans and how
they are like humans. Now you are going to introduce zoo animals. You
want the children to understand that zoo animals have a purpose and that
is to education humans and to provide an opportunity for humans to
experience seeing an animal that they may not be able to see otherwise.
You want them to learn that while zoo animals have names, they are not
the same as pets.
29
Week 5 Activity Set
Lesson 1 - (Whole Class)Materials:
 Plastic animals
 Chart paper with poem
 3 hula hoops
Engage: Sing the song (or read as a poem)
Zoo
(to the tune “Skip to my Lou”)
By: Meish Goldish
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems27.html
Explore: Allow the children to explore with plastic animals that now include
zoo animals. Place three hula hoops in the middle of the circle. Label
each circle, pet, farm, and zoo. Let the students put the animals in the
right groups.
Explain: Review what you have learned about pets and farm animals.
Explain to the children that you are going to learn about zoo animals.
Discuss what the children think about zoo animals. Why are they different
from pets and farm animals? Can pets and farm animals be in a zoo?
Why do people go to the zoo?
Elaborate: Select and read a book to the class about the zoo. (Dr. Seuss,
If I ran the zoo Or Wild about Books) Use the book to change
misunderstandings about why we go to zoos and why the zoo animals are
the same and different from the pets and farm animals.
Evaluate: Have the children draw a picture and write a sentence in their
notebooks about zoo animals.
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Lesson 2 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Shoe boxes
 Plastic animals
 Computer
 Projector
Engage: Place several shoe boxes around the classroom.
Explore: Allow the children to play with the boxes and the plastic animal.
Watch as they play with the animals.
Explain: Explain to the children that the class is going to make a shoe box
zoo. Each child will think which animal they would like to choose. Make a
list of animal choices and tell the children they will pick their animal in a few
lessons. Each child should have a different animal. Explain that a zoologist
is someone who researches and learns about animals. Zoologists learn
about animals so they can help them and so that humans can experience
seeing and enjoying animals from all over the world.
Elaborate: If you have not gone on a field trip, consider a zoo field trip.
Begin to plan with your students what you might see on a field trip to the
zoo. If a field trip is not possible, then visit a virtual zoo. There are many
websites for them. For example, the San Diego Zoo
(http://www.sandiegozoo.org/) is a really great resource, but there are
many others to choose from.
Evaluate: After you have toured the zoo; bring the children around to the
realization that the zoo is a place to learn about animals that we may never
see in our every lesson life. Talk about their zoo experiences. Ask why
they enjoy the zoo. For your EC/ESL learners, you will want to establish
their prior knowledge of zoos. You may want to spend some time online
showing them zoos or check extra books out from the library about zoos.
You will want to use lots of pictures to explain the concept of animals being
kept in cages for human learning experiences. The idea of a cage may
seem bad to them, like jail, so be careful to check for misunderstanding.
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Lesson 3 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Books on zoo animals
Engage: Check out as many books from your library as you can. Try to
match the list of animals from lesson one. Let the children look at the
books and talk among themselves.
Explore: Have the children sort the books out.
Explain: Explain to the students that there are many ways to sort the
animals. If students sort by colors, ask them to resort by another way.
They may sort by: coverings, number of legs, fly vs. can’t fly, swim vs.
can’t swim, African vs. Antarctica. Explain that by looking at what is the
same and different about animals, they can learn more about them. In this
way they are acting as a zoologist.
Elaborate: Now give each child a chance to tell you what animal they want
to make a shoe box for and then give them a book to match that animal.
Let them begin to look through their books. Again remind them that they
are zoologist so they want to really get to know their animal in as many
ways as possible. EC/ESL- Have your EC/ESL students come up
individually to talk to you about their animal. If they are having trouble
choosing an animal, pair them with an English speaking student who will
help them.
Evaluate: Ask them to take their books and their notebooks and write one
thing about their animal. Example: A tiger can run.
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Lesson 4 - (Small group)
Materials:
Construction paper in earth colors: green, blue, brown, sky blue
One shoe box per student
Engage: Show the children a model of a shoebox covered with paper with
a paper made animal inside.
Ask the children to think about the animal they choose. Have them pair up
with a partner and talk about their animal.
Explore: Have the children look at books that connect with the animals
they want to learn about.
Explain: Tell the children they will begin to decorate their box. Ask them to
look in their books to determine whether their animal lives in grass (green
paper), water (blue paper), sky (sky blue paper). Think about if they have
rocks or dirt or trees in their cage.
Elaborate: Let the children begin to decorate their boxes in an art center
with the help of a volunteer or a teacher’s assistant.
33
Week 6 Activity Set
Lesson 1 - (Whole Class)Materials:
 Projector
 Cardstock paper
 Markers, crayons, color pencils
 Computer
Engage: Use a projector and a computer to show the children Bembo’s
zoo. http://www.bemboszoo.com. This is a 3-4 minute interactive site that
shows how all the letters of the alphabet can be broken down and made
into animals. This is a great language arts connection. The children can
watch this program over and over again and will enjoy visiting this site on
their own if you have the computers available.
Explore: Let the children use small white boards and markers to create
their own animals. Talk about the many different animals and how each is
made from a different letter of the alphabet.
Explain: Explain to the students that they will be making their own animals
tolesson. Tell them you want the animals to be as real looking as possible.
(Note to the teacher: Give children a piece of cardstock or construction
paper to make their animal. Make sure that the animals are not too big or
too small for their shoebox. Have them cut them out and color them. They
should use their books as a resource to give their animal as much detail as
possible. If a child is unable to draw their animal to some likeness of what
it is suppose to be, you can trace a basic outline of the animal and let them
color it. The purpose is for them to think about a zoo animal and the details
of the animal, not an art project. You want your children to feel proud of
what they are presenting, and not have parents or visiting classes asking
them repeatedly what it is. So in this case some help from the teacher is
not a bad thing. Help the children place their animals in their shoeboxes).
Elaborate: Give students the choice of a glass enclosure, made by
covering their box in Plastic Wrap. Or a bar enclosure, made with pieces of
tin foil, rolled up to make bars and taped at both ends.
Evaluate: The end product in this case will determine understanding.
34
EC/ESL- These students benefit greatly from knowing the expectations
when doing a project. It is very important to have examples on hand. This
is a great time to use the rubric mentioned above to assess understanding.
You may make your own rubric to help the children. Make sure that you
show them the rubric before they start working, not after they are done.
35
Lesson 2 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Chart paper with the song
 Paper with the words for the students to write their reports
 White paper, crayons
 Monkey puppet or picture
Engage: Sing The Song:
The Monkeys At The Zoo
Sung to: Farmer In The Dell
http://hummingbirded.com/zoo.html
EC/ESL- Make sure to have a monkey puppet or stuffed animal for them to
see.
Explore: Ask the children to talk with a partner about another animal that
would be at the zoo. Have them sing a new verse of the song.
Example: The tigers at the zoo
Hi Ho They run and play
Explain: Explain that children are going to write about their shoebox
animals. Have them place their shoeboxes in front of them. Tell them they
are going to write 4 words about their animals. Explain that a zoologist
records what they learn so they can teach others. Give them a sheet a
paper that has a place for their name and then the four sentences.
Name______________________.
I can ______________________.
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I can_______________________.
I can _______________________.
I am a ______________________.
Example:
Name John Smith
I can run.
I can swing.
I can eat bananas.
I am a monkey.
(Note to the Teacher-You can either type their reports to make them
looked finished or leave them in their own handwriting. If a child simply
cannot write the words, have them do a dictation to you, but have them
read it back right away so they will be ready to present it to their visitors.)
Elaborate: Have children draw and color monkeys to decorate the poster.
37
Let them know that they will be singing with their special guests later in the
week.
38
Lesson 3 - (Whole Class)
Engage: Read a book about a zoo like "If I Ran The Zoo", by Dr. Seuss.
Ask the children what kind of zoo would they create?
Explore: Have the children attach their reports to their shoeboxes. Have ½
the class sit by their boxes while the other ½ goes around and hears their
reports.
Explain: Tell the children that part of being a zoologist is sharing what they
have learned with others. Tell them that they are going to invite parents
and other special guest to come and see their boxes. Tell them that it is
important for them to speak loudly and clearly and that they should be able
to explain why they choose this particular animal.
Elaborate: Have the children make invitations for their zoo open house.
Provide paper, crayons, and markers. On a board put the important
information. Who, what, when, where, and why. EC/ESL children can pair
up with English speakers to decorate invitations.
Evaluate: You will make informal Evaluate based on the students ability to
discuss and share what they have learned about their animals.
39
Lesson 4 - (Whole Class)
Materials:
 Shoe box zoo
 Reports
This is your culminating activity. Have the parents, siblings, and other
teachers from the school come to your classroom to give the children a
chance to show off what they have learned. The children can wear
nametags that say Zoologist (their name). They should have a period of
time where people walk around and see their boxes. Then you can gather
the children together to sing as many of the songs and poems from the unit
as you like. Make sure that your dramatic play center is set up and that all
of your charts and pictures are posted. If possible find a shelf or display
case to display all the books that you have used for this unit. Have animal
crackers and milk to eat and drink. Finally if you have computers in the
room have them on the Bembe zoo or another website and give children
the opportunity to show the parents the different animals. All of this will
give the students a sense of pride and purpose for what they have been
learning.
40
Unit Resources:
Books To Support the Unit
 The Pet Store Sprite by Tracy West
 Ms. Pea's Pet Store and Other Children's Tales by Rachel L. Perez
 Pet Store, Vol. 13 by M.T. Coffin
 Pet Store: A Complete Theme Unit by Dana McMillan
 The Best Pet Yet by Dorothy Handelman
 Arthur's Pet Business by Marc Brown
 Franklin Wants A Pet by Paulette Bourgeois
 Mrs. Wishy Washy by Joy Cowley
 If I Ran The Zoo by Dr. Seuss
 Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
 Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin
 Curious George Visits the Zoo by Margaret Rey
 Sheep In A Jeep by Nancy Shaw
 Farm Animals by DK Publishing
 Baby Farm Animals by Garth Williams
 Wake Up Sun by David Lee Harrison
Poetry and Songs
The Furry Ones
By: Aileen Fisher
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems49.html
My Pets
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems49.html
Rags
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems47.html
I Have A Pet
(to the tune of "Bingo")
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems49.html
,
Love Your Pets Song
(Sung to: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems49.html
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My Pets
http://www.childfun.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=79
All Around the Barnyard
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Farmyard
By: Gail Gregory
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Farmer McDonald
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Here is the Barn
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Barnyard Gate
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Five Friendly Farmers
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
The Farmer
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
The Scarecrow
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Chicken
By: Meish Goldish
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
The Chickens
http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/aitc/lessons/extras/songs/farman.html
“The farm is in a flurry…”
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
42
Cow
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/userblogpost.asp?id=19664
Purple Cow
By: Gelett Burgess
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Duck
By: Meish Goldish
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Goat
By: Meish Goldish
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Horse
By: Meish Goldish
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Mule
By: Meish Goldish
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
The Higg-Piggy
(To the tune “The Hokey Pokey”)
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Pig
By: Meish Goldish
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Sheep
By: Meish Goldish
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
43
“The turkey is a funny bird…”
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems9.html
Turkey
By: Meish Goldish
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems55.html
Elephants at Play
Author Unknown
http://www.fabulousfirstgrade.50megs.com/zoo.html
If I Were Lost
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/dir7/zoosong.html
ON THE FARM
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/farm/farmpoem.html
OUR BILLY GOAT
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/farm/farmpoem.html
The Giving Farm
By Vicki Witcher
http://www.kinderkorner.com/farm.html
The Chickens
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems75.html
44