AnonyMouse_26037 Posted April 6, 2012 Posted April 6, 2012 Next term we are starting with some work on animals. We've had a talk about it and come up with lots of questions we want to find the answers to (theirs, not mine) mostly around minibeasts - I have a class who are just a little bit obsessed with ladybirds and spiders! I asked them for ideas for a new role play area and they suggested a zoo. I like the idea as they came up with it but I'm struggling to think what we could actually do for it. The space I have for setting up role play is somewhat restricted and I have a 'shop front' piece of furniture which has to be included as there is nowhere else in the classroom I can put it. When we get back I'll talk to the children about how we could develop a zoo further but feel I need to give them a starting point. Has anyone got any ideas?
AnonyMouse_39602 Posted April 6, 2012 Posted April 6, 2012 (edited) how about using the shop front piece like a puppet show , using either puppets or pretend animals and children can take turns to do a speech on each animal , where its from , how big , what it likes to eat etc , They could research in books and mark make or cut and stick pictures and make their own fact books . Edited April 6, 2012 by lashes2508
Guest Posted April 6, 2012 Posted April 6, 2012 My placement class is doing the zoo next term too. Unfortunately they still plan from topics rather than interests so my zoo role play needs to come from my ideas rather than the children's to a certain extent. We too have a shop front type affair and I was planning to see if I could get the children to develop a zoo throughout the classroom, piece by piece. So my plan is to get the children thinking about the different elements of the zoo and possibly have the shop front as the information/ticket area. It will be helped by the fact we are visiting a zoo so I'm hoping they will pick up on that from there. I'm also hoping they will be interested in looking at different animals, their characteristics and their requirements in a home. Then I want to try to plan for them to make some animals in the creative area and build their own habitats. These might then be dotted around the classroom making the whole class a role play area. I say "hope" through this because I really don't know how it's going to pan out but hopefully you might get a few ideas you can develop from this.
Guest Posted April 7, 2012 Posted April 7, 2012 could they bring in zoo animals from home (soft toys) and build enclosures for them with duplo/wooden blocks etc. They could label each enclosure and find out something about each animal in the zoo and write a little about it. There could be a ticket office, a tour guide, a food preparation area with play food, they could find out about what each animal eats to make sure they have the right diet. There could be a cafe or picnic area and gift shop. deb
AnonyMouse_38743 Posted April 7, 2012 Posted April 7, 2012 Could the role play area be a Zoo Vets for the sick animals? We've just had a vets in my class and it was very successful, lots of opportunities for emergent writing!
AnonyMouse_26037 Posted April 7, 2012 Author Posted April 7, 2012 Thank you for all the ideas - you've given me a starting point and I think I can see how this is possible now. Really appreciate your help.
Guest Posted April 8, 2012 Posted April 8, 2012 Thought you may find this interesting...i did!!x http://archive.teachfind.com/ttv/www.teachers.tv/videos/learning-and-development.html
AnonyMouse_26037 Posted April 8, 2012 Author Posted April 8, 2012 Thought you may find this interesting...i did!!x http://archive.teach...evelopment.html Thank you - really helpful and encouraging to see.
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