© 2003 Merry L. Morris

When Your your child is Ready ...
Trips to the zoo can help your child learn which animals are mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, or insects

  1. Objectives:
    • your child will know which animals in the zoo are mammals.
    • your child will know which animals in the zoo are reptiles.
    • your child will know which animals in the zoo are birds.
    • your child will know which animals in the zoo are fish.
    • your child will know which animals in the zoo are insects.
    • your child will know what identifies an animal as a mammal.
    • your child will know what identifies an animal as a reptile.
    • your child will know what identifies an animal as a bird.
    • your child will know what identifies an animal as a fish.
    • your child will know what identifies an animal as a insect.
    • your child will read the word "mammal".
    • your child will read the word "reptile".
    • your child will read the word "bird".
    • your child will read the word "fish".
    • your child will read the word "insect".
  2. Activities which will lead to the desired outcome
    • Activities before the trip to the zoo
      • Look at books showing photos of mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, and insects.
      • Look at books which show and describe only mammals, only reptiles, only birds, etc. Point out the characteristics of each, like fur, scales, feathers, etc. Point to the word "mammal," "reptile," "bird," "fish," or "insect". Ask your child to find the words, too.
      • Talk to your child about the way zoos sometimes have building just for mammals, just for reptiles, and just for birds.
    • Activities during the trip to the zoo
      • Look for buildings which are named for the type of animal in them like the Bird House, the Reptile House, or the Small Mammal House
        • Point to the name of the building and read it aloud.
        • Ask your child to say what he will see in the building, for example in the Small Mammal House, he will see animals covered with fur.
      • At each exhibit, ask your child to say whether the animal is a mammal, reptile, bird, fish, or insect, and to tell you how he knows.
    • Activities after the trip to the zoo
      • Ask your child to name an animal that matches the word when you say "mammal", "reptile", "bird", "fish" or "insect".
      • Ask your child to say which type the animal is when you say the name of an animal.
      • Ask your child to draw a picture of a mammal, a picture of a reptile, a picture of a bird, a picture of a fish, and a picture of an insect.
      • Slowly draw a picture of a mammal, a reptile, a bird, a fish, or an insect. Ask your child to say when he recognizes which type of animal you are drawing.
      • Look at photos of animals in books, and ask your child to say whether the animals are mammals, reptiles, birds, fish or insects.
      • On five separate sheets of drawing paper, write the word "mammal", "reptile," "bird," "fish," or "insect". Ask your child to draw a picture of an animal that matches the word on the sheet of paper.
      • Write the word "mammal," "reptile," "bird," "fish," or "insect" on separate 3 x 5 cards. Hold up the card and ask your child to describe what the type of animal named on that card would look like, how it would behave, etc.
      • Write the word "mammal," "reptile," "bird," "fish," or "insect" on separate post-it notes. Ask your child to label his stuffed animals.
      • Ask your child which of the words he thinks of (mammal, reptile, bird, fish, or insect) when you say a descriptive word like "fur" or "scales".
  3. Supplies for activities.
    • picture books about mammal, reptiles, birds, fish
    • drawing paper
    • crayons
    • 3 x 5 cards
    • post-it notes
  4. Measure the outcome of the lesson.
    • Can your child identify mammals?
    • Can your child identify reptiles?
    • Can your child identify birds?
    • Can your child identify fish?
    • Can your child identify insects?
    • Can your child say what identifies an animal as a mammal?
    • Can your child say what identifies an animal as a reptile?
    • Can your child say what identifies an animal as a bird?
    • Cam your child say what identifies an animal as a fish?
    • Can your child say what identifies an animal as a insect?
    • Can your child recognize the word "mammals"?
    • Can your child recognize the word "reptiles"?
    • Can your child recognize the word "birds"?
    • Can your child recognize the word "fish"?
    • Can your child recognize the word "insects"?


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