An Inclusive Early Childhood
Development Program
The World Around Me: Animal Songs
Singing songs about animals and their habitats
Learning Objectives Including All Children Arts Experience
Artist With a Disability Learning Log Learning at Home
Learning through the Arts - Music experiences for young children include an awareness of sound and silence, rhythm and melody, intonation and form. As children participate in early music experiences, they learn an awareness of the position of their bodies in space, while exploring and distinguishing between such opposites as fast/slow, high/low, loud/soft, up/down, stop/go. - More about Learing through the Arts
Learning Objectives
- Express preferences and experiences with various animals and their habitats.
- Recognize animals that are local and ones that live in other places.
- Build vocabulary related to animals and their habitats.
- Express sounds and characteristics of animals through singing.
Preparation
- Review and select different songs about animals.
- Write words to songs on an easel pad.
Teach children the American Sign Language signs for “elephant,” “monkey,” “bear” or other animals, and use these signs throughout the lesson.
For children with hearing and speech disabilities, ensure participation by having them sing along whenever possible, sing along in sign language or play along on an instrument. Offer optional methods of participation to all children so as not to isolate children with disabilities.
For children with cognitive disabilities or hearing disabilities, use visual or pictorial interpretations of the songs to assist children with following the words.
For children with cognitive disabilities, talk about the animal’s body parts. Use plastic or rubber models, or pictures, to point out head, feet, tail, etc.
Key Vocabulary: various animals; house; and habitats such as a lair, den, hive, or tree
Connecting to Past Experience
Encourage children to talk about animals. What is your favorite animal? What sounds does that animal make? What is the animal’s size and color? How does the animal move, eat and sleep? Does the animal come out at night or during the day? Show pictures of different animals.
TIP: Consider making a twocolumn chart labeled “Animals” and “Habitats.”
Expand the discussion to animal habitats. Where does your favorite animal live? Does this animal live in our area? Does it live in a tree or in a cave? Consider listing responses on an easel pad or chalkboard.
Expressing Through Music
Sing songs or do chants from rhyming books about favorite animals, and talk about where the different animals live. Start with “Mole in the Ground.” Make up other verses as you and the class feel more comfortable with the song.
Continue with other animal songs and/or chants (many of these have been made into children’s books):
- Bingo
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear
- Down By the Bay
- Five Little Ducks
- Five Little Fish
- Five Little Monkeys Jumpin’ on the Bed
- Going on a Bear Hunt
- Going to the Zoo
- Mary Had a Little Lamb
- Old MacDonald Had a Farm
- One Elephant
- Sally the Camel
- The Animal Fair
- The Dinosaur Stomp
- The Fox
- The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Talking About Music
Review the list of animals and habitats created during the initial discussion.
- Are there more animals we can add to this list?
- Why does each habitat suit the animal who lives there?
- What is your favorite animal song?
- What do you like about it?
Extending the Experience
Create variations to the songs. Have children add their own verses, such as: “Five little elephants jumpin’ on the bed…” “Mary had a little giraffe…” Sing parts of the songs at different volumes.
- Have children act out a song pretending to be an animal in its habitat. They can pretend to swing, climb, fly, etc.
- Have children dance the “Hokey Pokey” as the animal of their choice. Change the words to the song accordingly: “Put your left paw in….” Add opportunities for making animal sounds and using movement like different animals. End the dance with animals returning to their homes, or habitats, and “going to sleep.” TIP: Consider having children add pieces of sandpaper and fabric. Make sure children can reach the paintings to feel the different textures.
- Play a matching game. Hold up pictures of various habitats followed by pictures of different animals. Have children match the animal to the habitat. Create a set of matching cards for children to match habitats and animals. Option: Place the habitat pictures around the room. Give children the animal cards. At the signal, children go to the habitat for the animal card they are holding.
- Create totem poles with animal faces. Research and tell children about the history of totem poles. Invite children to paint pictures of animal faces. When the paintings are dry, stack them one above the other like a totem pole. Tape them to a wall. TIP: Consider having children add pieces of sandpaper and fabric. Make sure children can reach the paintings to feel the different textures.
- Sway and snap fingers while listening to the song “Habitat” by Nancy Tucker from Glad that You Asked. Sing along on the chorus, or learn a verse.
Invite children to draw a picture of their favorite animal in its habitat. Label the drawing and/or add a line from one of the songs, such as “On the farm, he had a pig…” from “Old MacDonald’s Farm.”
Suggested Title: An Animal at Home
Dear Family,
As a class, we read stories and sang songs about animals. We talked about our favorite animals and where they lived.
Please talk to your child about the experience. Together, select a book to read. What if the two of you “sang” the story instead of simply reading it?
Talking With Your Child
- What is your favorite animal?
- Where does it live?
- Did you sing a song about that animal?
- What animal songs did you sing?
- What is your favorite song?
Ideas for Continued Learning
Select and read books from the library about animals. Consider:
- A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle
- A House Is a House for Me by Mary Ann Hoberman, Illus. by Betty Fraser
- Bat Jamboree by Kathi Appelt, Illus. by Melissa Sweet
- Eentsy, Weentsy Spider: Fingerplays and Action Rhymes by Johanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson, Illus. by Alan Tiegreen
- Frog Went A-Courtin’ by John Langstaff, Illus. by Fedor Rojankovsky
- In a People House by Theo LeSieg, Illus. by Roy McKie
- Mole’s Hill by Lois Ehlert
- Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Glen Rounds
- Over the Meadow by Jane Cabrera
- Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
- Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
- Where Do Bears Sleep? by Barbara Shook Hazen, Illus. by Mary Morgan Van Royen
- Who’s in Rabbit’s House: A Masai Tale by Verna Aardema, Illus. by Leo and Diane Dillon
With your child…
Use instruments from the MUSIC BOX or your mouth, to make sounds to go with stories. Make up sounds to go with parts of the story that suggest a particular sound, like a dog barking or a cat purring. Make up new verses to favorite songs about animals. Who can make up the silliest verse – you or your child?
Play “Name That Animal.” Think of an animal that your child should know. Encourage your child to guess the animal you are thinking about by asking you questions about the animal. Once your child correctly identifies the animal, it is his or her turn to think of an animal for you to guess.
| Materials |
Easel pad Markers Pictures of animals and their habitats |
