Materials
Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh
5 mouse cutouts
masking tape
big plastic jar (optional)
Instructions
Hide the animals around the classroom before the children arrive.
What to Do
1. Ask the children to sit in a circle.
2. Place an empty box in the middle of the
group; tell the children to take a
look at what's inside.
3. When they declare
that the box is empty,
say, "Oh no, the
animals must have
escaped from the
zoo!"
4. Ask the children to
help you search the
room for the escaped
animals.
5. Once all of the
animals have been found, call everyone back to the circle and talk about the
animals in your "zoo." Discuss their body coverings, the sounds that they
make, how many legs they have, and any other characteristics that make them
unique.
Assessment
Consider the following:
* Ask each child to tell you something interesting about one of the zoo animals.
* Ask each child to tell you which animal is her favorite and why.