I LOVE visiting the zoo in the spring or summer. When I had a Montessori preschool, we took a field trip to our local zoo each May before the end of the school year.
But I love zoo visits at any time of the year. My family has had a great time visiting zoos during every season. My husband and I took our kids to zoos locally and when we traveled when they were little. And we still enjoy visiting the San Diego Zoo with our now-adult kids and kids-in-law.
For a zoo animal unit, 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.
Here are some great ideas for Montessori-inspired zoo animal units from around the blogosphere (especially good for preschoolers through early elementary):
Montessori-Inspired Zoo Animal Activities
Sorting Animals by Continent (Photo from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments)
Discovery Days and Montessori Moments has a wonderful zoo unit.
Miniature Zoo Environment for Reading and Grammar (Photo from Making Montessori Ours)
Making Montessori Ours has a fabulous variation of the Montessori grammar farm … Miniature Zoo Environment for Reading and Grammar
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.
Zoo Sensory Box (Photo from Pink and Green Mama)
Pink and Green Mama had a creative Zoo Sensory Box.
From A to Z: Our Tot School Adventure has a cute Zoo Sensory Bin.
Trial & Error Mama has a Wild Forest sensory tub with activities about each animal’s characteristics and food.
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.
The Work Plan had an Animals of Seven Continents work. The Work Plan also had an Animals of the World puzzle and then added Montessori Print Shop materials to focus on animals of each continent
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 sortin
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).
I have a Zoo Animal Unit Study Pinterest board with activities of all types and for many different levels.
Have fun at the zoo and at home learning about zoo animals! 🙂
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These are great ideas, Deb! We are going to the zoo next week, so as usual you are right on time.: )
Thanks, Sheila! Glad the timing was right! 🙂
Thanks Deb for using our pic! There are a ton of other great ideas here too!
Thank YOU, Stephanie! I love what you share at your blog! 🙂
Thanks for these ideas. I think a summer zoo unit is now on the “To Do” list!
Smiles,
Jody
Thanks, Jody! I hope you’re having a wonderful summer! 🙂
You’ve pulled together so many great ideas and materials for others to make use of. Thanks for the link-ups!
Thanks, Jennifer! I love the beautiful materials you have for a zoo unit, and it was fun reading all the reviews! 🙂
I 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
Thanks, Kate! And I love your idea with the playdough continents! I just added your link to my post! 🙂
I have blogged this – love it.
Thanks so much for linking to my post, Sara! 🙂
once 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.
I love your comments, Sheila! Wonderful thought … I totally agree! 🙂
Great 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.
Thanks so much! I absolutely love animal continent sorting, too. It makes trips to the zoo and studying the world so much more meaningful. 🙂
thanks for additional ideas. Very helpful for a starting Montessori school like mine.
Thank you for your comment, Salvacion! Wishing you the best with your Montessori school! 🙂
Deb 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
Thanks SO MUCH, Andrea! I really appreciate it and will have lots of fun featuring your posts and photos. 🙂
My 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
Thanks 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! 🙂
Wow. 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!
Thanks, Callie! It’s great that you spend a lot of time at the zoo – and I’m glad you can use the activities! 🙂
You are right…my post about Orangutan Obsession goes along with your post well! Thank you for all of the ideas!
Thanks, 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! 🙂
Love these topic ideas, and the beach and bugs theme. They are super helpful. xxx
Thanks for your kind comment, Daisy! I’m so happy to hear you’re finding them helpful! 🙂