Activity: Wild Animals

Vocabulary

binoculars, safari, zoo, names of various wild animals (lions, tigers, monkeys, elephants, giraffes, etc.)

For this activity, you will need:

Two sets of large pictures of wild animals (lions, tigers, monkeys, giraffes, etc.), one to display throughout the center or school and one to use in the lesson introduction

Paper towel tubes, cut in half and connected by yarn or tape to make binoculars

A read-aloud book on wild animals. If you don’t have an appropriate book, ask your public or school librarian for help finding one.

“Zoo Safari” video

Directions
1. Tape pictures of wild animals on the walls around your center or school building (classrooms, hallways, lunch and recreation areas, etc.).
2. Display the second set of wild animal pictures on the bulletin board or classroom wall with the label “Wild Animals.”
3. Read the book about wild animals to the children, and have them watch the “Zoo Safari” video.
4. Ask the children to identify the animals on the classroom wall or bulletin board.
5. Ask the children, “Does anyone know what happens on a safari?” After the children respond, explain that a safari is a trip to see wild animals.
6. Explain that the class will be going on a safari.
7. Distribute the binoculars, and show the children how to place the tubes to their eyes to better see the animals.
8. Begin the safari by walking around the building, letting the children point out the wild animals. Stop at each animal; ask the children to name the animal and tell what they know about the animal.
9. Back in the classroom, record on a chart the animals the class found on the safari.
10. Distribute journals to the children and ask them to “document” their adventure by drawing what they did on the safari and the animals they saw.