Summer is a great time to visit the zoo – and a great time for a Montessori-inspired zoo animal unit. Just follow your child’s interests in choosing the activities.
You can have a systematic study of animals starting with living/non-living; then plant/animal; animals and their groups; vertebrate/invertebrate; types of vertebrate/types of invertebrate, etc. Or you can start with a relaxed summer unit, adding classification framework as it becomes relevant to your study. (Montessori at Home shows an example of Montessori zoology classification).
Here are some great ideas for Montessori-inspired zoo animal units from around the blogosphere (especially good for preschoolers through early elementary):
Sorting Animals by Continent (Photo from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments)
Discovery Days and Montessori Moments has a wonderful zoo unit right now.
My post on Montessori Continent Boxes has links to lots of ideas for studying the animals of each continent.
Sorting Animals by Continent (Photo from Leptir)
Leptir has an impressive hands-on activity for sorting animals by continent.
Montessori Print Shop has many animal activities helpful for any animal unit.
Animals of the World Activity (Photo from Homeschool Escapade)
Homeschool Escapade wrote about Animals of the World Activity using Animals of the Continents cards from Montessori Print Shop. Homeschool Escapade also wrote about Montessori Print Shop’s work on Animal Camouflage.
Sunrise Learning Lab wrote about the Animal Skin Match and Animal Tracks work from Montessori Print Shop.
Animals of Africa (Photo from Montessori MOMents)
Montessori MOMents wrote about Animals of Africa from Montessori Print Shop. (Blog is now private, so you have to request an invite.)
My Oatmeal Kisses placed animals on continents made of playdough.
Little Wonders’ Days has posts with a zoo theme, including a zoo scavenger hunt and free 3-part zoo cards.
Montessori for Everyone has some free Zoology cards and other Zoology activities.
Montessori Materials has a number of free Animal Language cards and Animal Classification cards.
My Montessori Journey created a Farm Animals/Zoo Animals sorting activity.
Noctural and Diurnal Animals Sorting (Photo from Spell Outloud)
Spell Outloud has Noctural and Diurnal Animals free printable for sorting.
David Gettman’s Basic Montessori: Learning Activities for Under-Fives has many ideas for activities classifying animals.
Bear Habitat Sensory Bin (Photo by Julie at The Adventures of Bear)
You can also add studies of individual animals, such as the bear-themed unit at The Adventures of Bear (Photo by Julie at The Adventures of Bear).
UPDATE: See my Montessori-Inspired Zoo Animal Unit with more activities!
Have fun at the zoo and at home learning about zoo animals! 🙂
Sheila says
July 7, 2011 at 4:58 amThese are great ideas, Deb! We are going to the zoo next week, so as usual you are right on time.: )
Deb says
July 13, 2011 at 1:08 amThanks, Sheila! Glad the timing was right! 🙂
Stephanie says
July 7, 2011 at 5:55 amThanks Deb for using our pic! There are a ton of other great ideas here too!
Deb says
July 13, 2011 at 1:11 amThank YOU, Stephanie! I love what you share at your blog! 🙂
Mommy Moment says
July 7, 2011 at 12:38 pmThanks for these ideas. I think a summer zoo unit is now on the “To Do” list!
Smiles,
Jody
Deb says
July 13, 2011 at 1:12 amThanks, Jody! I hope you’re having a wonderful summer! 🙂
Montessori Print Shop says
July 7, 2011 at 1:41 pmYou’ve pulled together so many great ideas and materials for others to make use of. Thanks for the link-ups!
Deb says
July 13, 2011 at 1:13 amThanks, Jennifer! I love the beautiful materials you have for a zoo unit, and it was fun reading all the reviews! 🙂
Kate says
July 7, 2011 at 2:59 pmI love this! I always wanted to make a fabric map of the world and have my kids dance on the different continents! We did something similar a few weeks ago with playdough: http://www.myoatmealkisses.com/2011/05/animals-all-over-world.html
Happy Playing!
-Kate
Deb says
July 13, 2011 at 1:27 amThanks, Kate! And I love your idea with the playdough continents! I just added your link to my post! 🙂
sara says
July 8, 2011 at 3:08 amI have blogged this – love it.
Deb says
July 13, 2011 at 1:27 amThanks so much for linking to my post, Sara! 🙂
sheila says
July 8, 2011 at 3:30 pmonce again, a wealth of info here! Can you just imagine what a wonderful society we’d have if everyone got a montessori education? No, I really mean that. So much care is taken to provide the child with appreciation of self, others and community. Think about it.
Deb says
July 13, 2011 at 1:29 amI love your comments, Sheila! Wonderful thought … I totally agree! 🙂
Our Country Road says
July 9, 2011 at 9:23 amGreat links! Thank you so much for posting them!!! LOVE the animal continent sorting. I’d love to make such a neat map for our classroom.
Deb says
July 13, 2011 at 1:31 amThanks so much! I absolutely love animal continent sorting, too. It makes trips to the zoo and studying the world so much more meaningful. 🙂
Salvacion Dequito says
July 10, 2011 at 4:41 amthanks for additional ideas. Very helpful for a starting Montessori school like mine.
Deb says
July 13, 2011 at 1:32 amThank you for your comment, Salvacion! Wishing you the best with your Montessori school! 🙂
andrea says
July 10, 2011 at 8:12 amDeb i give you full permission to use any pictures or content from my blog at any time.
Thanks for the lovely comments
andrea from jada roo can do
Deb says
July 13, 2011 at 1:33 amThanks SO MUCH, Andrea! I really appreciate it and will have lots of fun featuring your posts and photos. 🙂
Doylene Brents says
July 10, 2011 at 1:28 pmMy two year old granddaughter goes to a Montessori school in Little Rock AR. She loves it. I wish we had one in Russellville. I will come back and read some of the free material. Doylene
Deb says
July 13, 2011 at 1:37 amThanks so much, Doylene! It’s wonderful your granddaughter goes to a Montessori school. I have lots of posts with ideas you can use at home! 🙂
Callie Feyen says
July 14, 2011 at 2:23 pmWow. This is so helpful. We are at the zoo all the time in the summer, and these activities will come in so helpful. Thanks for sharing!
Deb says
July 14, 2011 at 2:35 pmThanks, Callie! It’s great that you spend a lot of time at the zoo – and I’m glad you can use the activities! 🙂
Mary says
July 19, 2011 at 9:42 amYou are right…my post about Orangutan Obsession goes along with your post well! Thank you for all of the ideas!
Deb says
July 21, 2011 at 7:45 pmThanks, Mary! And thanks for writing about your unit study ideas. Here’s the link for anyone who’s wondering about it: http://www.homegrownlearners.com/2011/07/how-to-fuel-your-childs-obsession-how.html. That’s a great post! 🙂
Daisy says
July 20, 2011 at 1:32 pmLove these topic ideas, and the beach and bugs theme. They are super helpful. xxx
Deb says
July 21, 2011 at 7:46 pmThanks for your kind comment, Daisy! I’m so happy to hear you’re finding them helpful! 🙂