austranimls

AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS UNITby Jane Karyuka
    We take the children on a field trip to an animal park called the Billabong Sanctuary. Here are a few highlights of that trip that you could share with the children in your classroom about the kinds of animals familiar to the children of Australia:
     The children take backpacks of food and drink then we board a bus to the sanctuary. The sanctuary is set around a billabong (Australian term for a body of water left behind when a river or stream has changed course) and so the area is quite large (all native animals of Australia are protected by law and so there are pretty stringent conditions about operating such places. They serve a number of purposes including scientific study and are very well staffed with qualified people). Upon arriving, we are taken by a Ranger to the Koala area. This year the children were able to hold Shingle-Backed Lizard and Blue Tongue Lizard. The Ranger talked about the differences between reptiles, mammals, and marsupials, then introduced the koala several of which had been sleeping in the enclosure behind him. The children were given some information about the koala and then it was placed in a forked branch so they could stroke the fur. These koalas are not handled regularly and they have very strong claws for climbing so it would be inappropriate for the children to hold the animals. Back at a central area, Rangers have other animals the children can handle. This year there was a Dingo pup, a half grown Wombat, and a baby Crocodile with it's mouth firmly taped. The ranger talks about Snakes and has two non poisonous snakes to handle. The children can then feed the Turtles and Eels at the waters edge and Pelicans try to steal fish from the water. Here's an especially interesting note your children will enjoy: When our children are eating at the park, they have to be careful as the Kangaroos will come up and steal their sandwiches.
     Were your children at our school, they would be lucky in that the school grounds back against an undeveloped hilly area where there's lots of wildlife. We regularly have Monitor Lizards of up to four feet long walking through the grounds. Kookaburras, Rainbow Lorikeets, and Tawny-Wide-Mouth Owls inhabit the trees, and large beautifully colored Cairns Bluewing Butterflies are encouraged by planting the appropriate foliage. Also, to everyone's surprise, a pair of Bush Turkeys seem to have decided the school grounds are the ideal nesting site and have been building several mounds of mulch and leaves.
     Upon returning to preschool, our children create their own sanctuary: Cutting branches from the Preschool trees (which can always do with a trimming) and using wooden and cardboard boxes and toy blocks, areas for different animals are set up -- the children are very careful about which animal can go where so they don't eat each other.

The children use collage materials to make the animals:
*Kangaroos, koalas, Possums, and other marsupials are usually made of boxes covered with fur.
*Emus are made from dress material rolls and boxes with crepe paper for the fluttery feathers.
*Echidnas are plastic bottles or boxes with sticks (or toothpicks) for quills.
*Crocodiles are boxes (egg cartons are particularly good for the lumpy skin).
*Snakes can be toilet rolls put together so they wriggle when they move or two pieces of paper stapled together and stuffed with newspaper or shredded paper. These are usually painted.
*Plastic cake covers make good turtle shells when covered with felt or crepe paper.
The children are encouraged to make their own "preschool level" maps of the area, which are photocopied, to hand out. They copy words under picture displays for signs, set up a food shop, and dress in dark green shirts to act out the role of Ranger. Other children dress up as parents or visitors and take dolls for a tour. Tapes of appropriate animal and bird sounds are a good addition.
Other Activities/Notes:
*Children can make Australian animals from clay.
*Children can paint their own version of an Australian animal.
*Game: Name an Australian animal: Tell me something about a reptile; Tell me something about a bird; Move like a snake to the bathroom to wash your hands; Move like a bat... etc.
*Library Corner:
1. Each child does a drawing about our Sanctuary visit then tells the teacher about it who writes their words on the paper. The pages can be bound into a book and put into the Quiet (or Reading) Area for children and parents to access.
2. A Big Book Story can be made using photos of the visit and the children's input. This can go into the Quiet Area too.
*Matching Game: Pictures of animals are on a display board with their names written underneath. Cards with the same names are used as a matching activity either individually or as a group.
*Children can write a letter of thanks to the Sanctuary staff.
*Poem:
I'm Hoppity Hop the Kangaroo
I'm Hoppity Hop how do you do?
I hop on two feet not one like you
I'm Hoppity Hop the kangaroo.
On a chart this can be used to give children practice at looking for two words that are the same.
*Pre-Math: Make up counting games and songs using Australian animal themes.
*Creative Drama: Act out a story the teacher makes up about the animals. For example:
"A Platypus burrow is destroyed by developers and s/he swims off to find somewhere to shelter for the night. S/he meets lots of friends including possum, Bat, Cockatoo, kookaburra, wombat, (etc) who all offer their own place to stay -- all of which are highly unsuitable for a platypus who thanks them and tells them why it would be unsuitable and moves on. Finally S/he finds another platypus and they agree to share."
*Cooking: "Koala Paws": Place basic biscuit (cookie) mix spoonfuls on trays and gently press in dried apricot for paw pad and on the side so they are sticking out. Use slivers of almonds for claws. Cook and eat.
Music:
*Feathers, Fur, and Fins, by Don Spencer, (an excellent CD with -- I think -- 14 songs with very catchy tunes all based on Australian animals. (Information that might be of use is a number 8143782 ABC Manufactured and Distributed by EMI Music Group Aust. ABC is short for the Australian Broadcasting Company which is tax payer funded radio and television stations.)
*Give Me a Home Among the Gumtrees is one of those songs that everyone seems to know here and is also popular at this time, as is the following:

Kookaburra Sits In the Old Gum Tree

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Merry merry king of the bush is he.
Laugh kookaburra. Laugh kookaburra.
Gay your life must be.

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Eating all the gum drops he can see.
Stop! Kookaburra. Stop! Kookaburra.
Save some there for me.

Kookaburra sits on the electric wire,
Jumping up and down with his feathers on fire.
Ouch! Kookaburra Ouch! Kookaburra.
Hot your tail must be!

Note from Stormie: I highlighted every animal Jane mentions in green above so you can jot them down before heading to the library for books and other resources.

YOU CAN NOW RETURN TO WHERE YOU WERE IN FEBRUARY'S ACTIVITIES