"ZOO" pendous Unit/Week 1

OK.  We finally out smarted ourselves and each K teacher picked one zoo animal and we cut 106... yes.. 106 patterns.  But, the good thing was that we only had to cut one animal a piece.  It actually was nice not having to go home EVERY night and sit at the kitchen table with glass of sweet tea surrounded by construction paper, scissors, Ziploc bags, and patterns with a three year old that wants to help his mommy cut.  Scissor blisters are quite common around our hallway. What is so funny is we can walk into each others' classrooms and just give the "scissor look" and  our faces tell if we have been cutting or not.  Now  we just start laughing at each other with no words spoken.    Kind of our own special language.

So with all of that said, our goal was to create numerous animals with a different anchor chart/graphic organizer/ or fact chart with each one.  We actually created those ourselves.   The children have had SO much fun and so have the teachers.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

Whole Group Anchor Chart

This is what we used to get us started.  We brainstormed zoo animals after sorting through our basket of zoo books.

 After working and working, this picture WOULD NOT TURN!!  GGGRRRRR!! Each child created their own zoo animal web.  Each child wrote 4-5 animals that they would like to see at the zoo.  (We are taking a field trip at the end of the month)

Giraffes

I LOVE how you can post an example and you still get 18 different varieties of giraffes.  A few have misplaced necks.  I got a really good laugh out of a few... not in front of the children of course. (Ok, If I am being honest... maybe a few snickers in front of the children ) These were VERY easy to create.  Just a shoe pattern  for the face with a rectangle for the neck.  The mane was cut by the children using brown construction paper.  

Zebras

 I always try to give credit where credit is due, but I am a little uncertain who to give credit to for this zebra.  It was posted all over blogs and pinterest.

 This zebra was my favorite.  Click on her and tell me that she does not look just like Princess Zebra waiting for her Prince to come along.  Batting her lovely eye lashes, with the flick of her little ears, zebra mane  blowing in the wind.  LOVE HER!!

 TIGERS

This animal was my favorite because it was SO simple!!  Just a square and the children cut their own stripes, eyes, and nose.  I cut the tounge and ears.  

More pictures will be posted once week 2 is complete!!