There are many fiction and nonfiction books written with the early elementary student in mind. These reading resources are an easy and fun way to create an accompanying lesson plan. Read aloud the book "Dear Zoo" by Rod Campbell. Have the students see if they can identify repeated patterns used throughout the book. Using this as an example, choose a different animal and come up with a classroom version of the story. Read the book "Mother and Baby Zoo Animals" by Caroline Arnold. Have students collect pictures of baby zoo animals and their mothers. Use these to create a classroom bulletin board about the story.
Sorting, estimating, counting and initial graphing are all math skills that are introduced to kindergarten students. Some basic math ideas for a zookeeper-themed unit include:
• Sorting plastic zoo animals into like kinds. Graph how many there are of each animal.
• Estimating how many there are in a box of animal crackers, sorting them into like kinds and graphing the results.
• Sorting pictures of zoo animals by how many feet they have or by what they eat.
• Making a classroom graph showing what the students' favorite animals are.
Taking regular breaks from sitting for extended periods of time can be centered around a zoo theme. Play Zookeeper Says, the same way you would play Simon Says. Play Monkey See, Monkey Do in the same way you would play Follow the Leader. Take a field trip to the zoo. Have the students complete a scavenger hunt and try to locate specific animals and landmarks at the zoo.
Teaching can be an effective way to learn. Have each student choose a zoo animal he would like to learn more about and create a poster with a picture of the animal and information about what the animal eats, drinks, where its natural habitat is and other information he finds interesting in his research. When complete, have each student be the "zookeeper" and present her poster to the class.