Introduction to Zoology for Early Elementary Students ~ 12 Lesson Plans and Printables
Updated March 2018
Introduction
I hope you are having a wonderful summer! I’m excited to share what my homeschool coop class learned last semester about animals. I’ll be writing a detailed blog post for each week’s class, which will include a Lesson Plan, Printables, Project Instructions, Resource List, and more. Ideas for additional art and craft projects will also be included.
Would you and your students like to have some fun studying animals this year? Following are lists of books and resources that you will need, as well as a suggested class schedule which you can adapt to your own needs. Each lesson plan will also include additional materials and resources needed specifically for that week.
Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I am an affiliate of Amazon
This blog post is available as a printable file! Click on the thumbnail below and open the PDF file in Adobe Reader to read and print. If you open in a browser window, the text may be garbled. You may share this online and use the image above without permission, but please have all links point to this blog post, not to the PDF file. Thanks!
Weekly Lesson Schedule
The blog post for each week’s lesson plan will be linked below as they are posted. My sincere apologies for the long delay in completing this series of Lesson Plans. I am very sorry for any inconvenience it has caused you! I hope to have the remaining lessons posted by the end of March 2018.
Week 1: Classification of Animals
Week 4: Seals (Sea Lions & Walruses) and Penguins
Week 6: Reptiles and Amphibians
Week 7: Butterflies and Other Insects
Week 10: Dogs, Wolves, and Foxes
Suggested Class Schedule
1. Introduction & Map Activity (Floor: 5 Minutes)
In my lessons I used the Discovery Kids Fabric Activity Map pictured at the right. I split the felt land mass, water body, and animal pieces into 12 different baggies, one for each lesson. Each week I distributed the felt pieces among my students and allowed them to place them on the map, using a picture of the completed map as a guide.
Alternate Map Idea
The Discovery Kids map appears to be discontinued, so instead, you can use a regular wall map or globe. Cut out small pictures of the animals you are going to learn about from magazines or old encyclopedias. During each lesson attach them to the appropriate area on the map or globe with removable poster putty.
2. Poetry (Floor: 5 Minutes)
Read a poem related to today’s lesson.
3. Animal Encyclopedia (Floor: 5 – 10 Minutes)
Read one – four pages about the animal(s) from a children’s animal encyclopedia with large photos of animals. Encourage discussion by asking “What is the most interesting thing you remember?”
4. Activities (Floor or Table: 25 – 30 Minutes)
Games and hands-on projects related to today’s lesson.
5. Zoology Notebook (Table: 10 – 15 Minutes)
Pass out binders and crayons, markers and/or colored pencils. Explain any special instructions for the current lesson’s worksheets. (Click here for the blog post on assembling the notebook.)
6. Snack (Table: 10 – 15 Minutes)
Pass out a snack related to today’s lesson. Be sure to check with your children’s parents/caretakers for any food allergies ahead of time.
7. Story (Floor or Table: 5 – 10 Minutes)
Story related to today’s lesson. You can read this to the students while they are eating the snack if you are short on time.
8. Arts and Crafts (Table: 20 – 25 Minutes)
Art or craft project related to today’s lesson.
General Resources Needed
- Discovery Kids Fabric Activity World Map OR World Wall Map (or use a plain World Map, and cut out pictures of animals to affix to the map)
- Free Animal Sounds App for your phone or tablet
- Washable Markers, Crayons, and/or Colored Pencils
- Stapler
- White Glue, Glue Sticks
Child-Safe Scissors
- Plates, Bowls, Napkins, Utensils, Small Cups (for snacks)
- Computer with Black and White Printer
- Construction Paper
- Printer Paper
- Card Stock Paper for printer
- Laminator (optional)
- Small animal figures from these classes: Mammals, Fish, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Insects, Arachnids, Crustaceans. Try to find animals from these habitats: Farm, Wild (Forests), Desert, Jungle, Polar, Ocean, Pets.
- Zoology Science Notebook filled with worksheets and coloring pages for each child – assemble before the first class (click here for blog post with instructions and printables)
Book List
Be sure to check your local library to see if they have some of these books!
One or two children’s animal encyclopedias – I used DK First Animal Encyclopedia and Usborne Children’s Encyclopedia of Animals.
Reproducible project and worksheet books about animals. I used worksheets from education.com, as well as the following books:
- Hands-On Minds-On Science: Animals
- Circle-Time Poetry: Science
- The Best Of The Mailbox Theme Series: Bears (PreK/Kindergarten)
(Alternate project ideas are given in many posts which you can use in case these books are not available.)
Story and poetry books about animals. Don’t forget to check your local library for these or similar books! I used the following:
- The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems by Mary Ann Hoberman and Betty Fraser
- National Geographic Kids Animal Stories by Jane Yolen and Jui Ishida
- At This Very Moment by Jim Arnosky
- The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
- Very Last First Time by Jan Andrews
- Winter’s Tail by Craig Hatkoff and Juliana Hatkoff
- Flossy and the Fox by Patricia McKissack and Rachel Isadora
- The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle
- Aesop’s Fables (children’s version)
Blog posts will be linked to the Weekly Lesson Schedule above as they are written. Please feel free to comment below with your recommendations – I appreciate your ideas and suggestions!
Copyright 2018 Kathryn Depew
Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I am an affiliate of Amazon
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