Contributor :
Elaine Duckworth
Action Plan
Our four Kindergarten classes go to the Richmond Metro Zoo in May. I will teach a lesson about Asian animals that live at the zoo and focus a project on the tiger. Tigers have what they need to live. They have adaptations (behavior and/or body features that help them live in a place). They have stripes that help them blend into their environment. The tiger’s prey can’t see their stripes in the grasses. Tigers are fast and powerful. They also have retractable claws. They have pads on their paws to help them move silently. A tiger has a mighty roar that can be heard up to a mile and a half away. Before our annual zoo trip, our students will study the tiger by reading, writing, and creating a craft (tiger headband hat). After our zoo trip, students will debrief about what we learned and experienced at the zoo. Our students will write a sentence and draw an illustration about an animal that lives in Asia. I will show them the Google Earth presentation on Vietnam and Cambodia to introduce the continent and discuss basic map skills. We will also incorporate social-emotional learning by watching one episode of PBS’ Daniel Tiger.
Pre-Departure Preparation
I will research the animals of Vietnam and Cambodia before our trip: elephant, monkeys, tiger, snakes (Golden Tree Snake or “the flying snake”), birds, flying squirrel.
Preparation During Travel
I will upload photos from the Metro Richmond Zoo into a slideshow and embed short video clips about tigers and other Asian animals that live in Vietnam and Cambodia. I have downloaded instructional materials I found on Teachers Pay Teachers that includes decodable text, writing pages, and a craft about tigers. I will print and prepare these materials to incorporate them into my lesson.