Science at the Zoo...classification

Today was another zoo day. We love to use the zoo as a resource for learning and this year it actually fits nicely with the Science that we are already studying.   On this trip, I decided to have the kids classify animals.

I found this great site for classifying animals with kids.  It gives a simple explanation of each group in kid friendly language.  We read and discussed these groups and then played this online game to test our knowledge before the trip to the zoo.

I created a page with the five categories for them to classify the animals.  There was a column for mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, and fish.  Here is what it looked like.  This time I created each child their own page!  Haha.  I also decided to have the kids start keeping these pages in their MFW folders as part of their learning portfolio.  So, it makes more sense to have one for each child.

 
As we walked through the zoo, the kids would write down the names of animals under the correct category.  (I view this as a creative writing exercise so I don't worry about spelling...especially since I want to have  light, fun, creative learning experiences...and none of us love spelling...haha!)

Wesley really wanted to participate so I had him draw pictures of the animals under each category.  How cute is that! This one is going in his art file to keep.

We always practice some map skills while at the zoo.  This is one of their favorite parts.

Wesley was really serious about his "school" and wanted to take the time to draw his pictures well.

On the way out, the boys found a turtle that they enjoyed touching and were amazed watching it swim around.

 Just had to include this sweet little face.

Then at the end of the trip, when the desert heat had warmed us up, we stopped by a "splash pad" for the kids to cool off.

 
The boys found more turtles to watch in this area too.  They were all so amazed by these turtles.  Maybe it's time to invest in a tank and turtles...maybe...haha.

After we were back home, we tried this online game again to review what we had learned.  It was fun to see how scores improved after the day at the zoo.  So we had a great time laughing, researching, and learning together about classification of animals "hands-on" (which they are more likely to retain long-term), and never opened a book.

We will open books next week:)

Art/Science at the Zoo...Drawing.

Well, today was another zoo day.  I thought we should go as often as possible in the next few weeks before we hit 115 degrees and have to stay indoors.

Each time we go to the zoo, I try to do something just a little different to help the kids learn but I end up recycling old ideas too.  Today, we took our Science notebooks (our way of bringing a little Charlotte Mason into the education process) to the zoo so that we could sketch things from God's amazing creation.

Just getting six kids dressed, fed, packed up, and ready for the zoo is a huge event in and of itself...haha.  I will do a post later on how we get out the door.
This morning we had a few extra trials and messes to be cleaned before we could take off, but this is a season of life for me.  I will not always be cleaning up after little ones.  One day they will grow up and leave my home.  So, for now, I try to take the detours with peace and joy:)  Here is a picture of Seth after getting himself ready for the zoo.  I guess I didn't get to him fast enough so he figured he better do it himself...haha.  So cute!

When we finally did arrive at the zoo, the kids immediately asked to take the "Arizona Trail".  This is where all of the desert animals, snakes, frogs, etc are kept.  So, with our Science notebooks in hand, we started through the kids' favorite...and my least favorite...area of the zoo.  Here are a few pictures of the kids sketching creepy things in this area of the zoo...haha.

Sometimes those exhibits are just a little too high for little ones to see...

After the dark rooms we stepped into the Arizona sunshine to enjoy more of the desert creatures.  Wesley was drawing in his Science notebook at every opportunity.

 

I love it when they enjoy things together in a loving peaceful way...haha.

 

We took the time to stop by a little pond and look at the Desert Pupfish, read about them, and also check out the tadpoles.  Here are a few pictures.

 Tadpoles.

 The kids investigating and learning.

Here are Wesley and Seth watching the tiger.  The reflection makes him hard to see but the tiger is right through the glass between the two boys. 

 

I took the opportunity to do some photography...which is one of my passions.  It took me years to appreciate the beauty of the Arizona desert.  The kids tried to sketch a few of these things as well.  The reflection of the trees in the water is always a fun thing to draw.

Here are the kids drawing flowers.

 

Even Sethy likes to sketch a few things...haha.

 We take TONS of water with us when we are out in the heat of the Phoenix sun!

 
  This little fellow just hung out and was a real trooper!

 Here is the picture that we take at least once every year.  It's fun to see how the kids grow when we line up all of the pictures.

Here is the same picture four years ago.

 This may become another annual picture that we take.  I love it!  Wish that I had included the reflections as well but I was in a hurry as it was a little nerve racking to have them that far away from me...over water...with the babies.

And then, on the way out, we saw that the splash pad was on.  Oh, how Ransom loved this.  It was his first time on a splash pad and he just could not believe it.  He had no fear and couldn't contain his excitement.

 The other kids joined in too.

 Seth just wanted to stomp on them.

After this we came home for much needed naps and quiet reading time.

The Zoo: An Outdoor Classroom

I simply love using the zoo for enriching our homeschool experience.  It is out in the fresh air and sunshine and it is "hands-on".  It seems that we all learn new things about God's creation with each trip to the zoo.

This year we are studying the days of creation and we have just completed day six...animals. So, I thought this would be a good year to renew our zoo membership.  Here are some of the things that we have done and a few new ideas that I am planning to do in the next few weeks to add a little salt to our zoo field trips.

Some have links to specific posts here on this blog.

1. Have each child create a book of their day at the zoo as they are walking through.  

2. Have each child draw a cartoon map of the zoo with a little dotted trail showing the path we took.

3. Keep a list of the animals that they saw and list details about each animal.

4. Classify the animals they see by fish, amphibian, bird, reptile, mammal (or by other attributes like walks on two or four legs, has fur, scales, or feathers, etc.).

5. Go on a zoo scavenger hunt.

6. Draw pictures of zoo animals or plants.

7.  Write a structured report about several things they saw or did at the zoo.

8. Write a poem about the zoo or a specific animal.

9. Paint a zoo mural.

10. Make finger print animals with ink pads.

11. Take a zoo map and let the kids take turns picking the next place to go and leading the family there using the map.

12. Have the kids write a creative writing paper about what they would do all day if they were an animal at the zoo.

13.  Have the older kids use a concordance to see how many verses they can find about specific animals in the Bible.

14. Print off coloring pages of animals for younger kids and color them while watching that animal...and while older siblings sketch in their Science notebooks.

Some of these things we did years ago and we are going to recycle the ideas.  As we do them, I will post and link it here.  I thought I would get these ideas out there sooner rather than later so that they could be utilized this spring.

How many of you have a zoo in your area?  What things do you do to learn at the zoo?

Happy zoo learning!!

Scavenger Hunt...at the Zoo

The number of learning opportunities at the zoo are endless!  We went today for our Fantastic Friday and it was a very different experience.

A few weeks ago, my kids were invited to a birthday party at the zoo.  They had such a great time and came home singing the praises of a zoo scavenger hunt.
So, once again, I stole this idea and made it work for our family. 

In order to minimize competition between siblings and cultivate unity, we used one list and the kids worked together to find everything on the list.  Here is a picture of our list before the hunt.

At first, it was a real struggle for the kids to work together...especially since all the kids got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.  I think I will turn their beds around tonight!  Or, maybe it was me who got up on the wrong side of the bed.  Haha.  Anyway, initially there was a struggle between who would control the list and pencil.  The grumpiness escalated but I was determined to help them work through it.  I felt that a break through was just around the corner.  I was wrong.  But, we still made the most of the day:)  Next time, I think I will really print a list for each child and let them choose their own animals. 

But, today we had to work through and share.  Here are a few pictures of the kids working together...mostly anyway:)

We took a break from the scavenger hunt for Nathan to show the littles how he could make a catapult out of this branch and send little objects flying across the zoo.  A physics lesson in action!

Somehow my kids always find it fun to look through this "telescope" that only works if you put quarters in...we never do...but they always look anyway:)

 The littles who spent most of the day in the stroller, but still had smiles on their sweet little faces:)  Love these little guys!

Here is the list at the end of the day.

So, next time we will find another educational and entertaining way to enjoy the zoo.  But this scavenger hunt really made the kids pay attention to the details of the animals...and by the end of the trip the kids were sharing and had worked through the grumpiness (or just began to practice self-control).