Introducing The story Dear Zoo by Rod Cambell

Ask the children, “ If you wrote a letter to the zoo, What kind of animal would you ask the zoo to send to you? and Why? 

Sing together

"Let's go to the Zoo."  

Create safari binoculars from cardboard tubes. Use your imaginary play and take a trip to the zoo!

Play a game what's behind the binoculars? Each slide features a different animal, but you can only see a part of them through the binoculars. Click to move the binoculars around, and then see if you can guess the animal.

Comparing Size and Shape.

We will reread Rod Campbell's Dear Zoo.

We will recap and learn language to do with shape and size: big, small, medium, tall, short, tiny.

We will play a game with some boxes of different sizes. Which box could the giraffe have come in? How about the snake?

The children will work in small groups to make some homes for the different sizes and shapes of each type of animal.

Is the roof tall enough? Is there enough space?

Tall and short song.

Lets have another look at the story Dear Zoo

Using the animal flashcards take it in turns to take an animal and say ‘ I wrote to the zoo to send me a pet, they sent me a __ it was too ___ I sent it back’

Encourage children to practice reciting the repeated phrase and fill in the blanks with the animal card chosen getting them to think of a reason why they are sending it back.

Using this sheet, can children draw an animal and write the animal's name using their phonic knowledge and why they are sending it back or keeping it?