A few weeks ago we celebrated giraffes at the weekly lapsit program at the New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park in Massachusetts.I read the book, Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae, a beautiful and inspirational story about friendship and the effects of bullying. I highly reccomend it, not only for the message but the colorful illustrations. The children loved naming all of the other animals as the story progressed.
Later, we had fun with fingerplays, and songs. Cara designed a beautiful giraffe craft and the children marched with them during our parade. These songs and fingerplays are found all over the web with no attribution so feel free to use them in your work.
FINGERPLAYS
Giraffes (Tune: Ten Little Indians)
One little, two little,
Three little giraffes.
Four little, five little,
Six little giraffes.
Seven little, eight little,
Nine little giraffes.
Ten little giraffes with long necks!
Three little giraffes.
Four little, five little,
Six little giraffes.
Seven little, eight little,
Nine little giraffes.
Ten little giraffes with long necks!
The spotted giraffe is tall as can
be,
(raise one arm as high as you can),
His lunch is a bunch of leaves off a tree,
His lunch is a bunch of leaves off a tree,
(nibble with fingers of hand of
outstretched arm)
He has a very long neck and his legs are long too,
He has a very long neck and his legs are long too,
(point to raised arm and
legs)
And he can run faster than his friends at the zoo!
And he can run faster than his friends at the zoo!
Giraffe
Of all the animals in the zoo,
I am the tallest. That is true. (reach up high)
Who am I? I am the giraffe. (point to self and have children repeat)
I am brown and white with a little red, (point to self)
And I have two knobs on the top of my head. (make small horns with fingers)
Who am I? I am a giraffe. (point to self and have children repeat)
My neck is long, I am very tall, (point and stretch neck)
But I don't have very much voice at all. (point to throat and shake head)
Who am I? I am a giraffe. (point to self and have children repeat)
I have one big ear on each side of my head.
High up in the air is where I am fed.
Who am I? I am a giraffe. (point to self and have children repeat)
I walk right up to the tallest tree.
And I eat the leaves that are good for me.
Who am I? I am a giraffe. (point to self and have children repeat)
I am the tallest. That is true. (reach up high)
Who am I? I am the giraffe. (point to self and have children repeat)
I am brown and white with a little red, (point to self)
And I have two knobs on the top of my head. (make small horns with fingers)
Who am I? I am a giraffe. (point to self and have children repeat)
My neck is long, I am very tall, (point and stretch neck)
But I don't have very much voice at all. (point to throat and shake head)
Who am I? I am a giraffe. (point to self and have children repeat)
I have one big ear on each side of my head.
High up in the air is where I am fed.
Who am I? I am a giraffe. (point to self and have children repeat)
I walk right up to the tallest tree.
And I eat the leaves that are good for me.
Who am I? I am a giraffe. (point to self and have children repeat)
SONGS
We had a wonderful time marching around
the room as we sang this song.
A Hunting We Will Go
A hunting we will go, a
hunting we will go
Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go
A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go
We'll catch a fox and put him in a box
And then we'll let him go.
Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go
A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go
We'll catch a fox and put him in a box
And then we'll let him go.
A hunting we will go, a
hunting we will go
Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go
A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go
We'll catch a fish and put him on a dish
And then we'll let him go.
Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go
A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go
We'll catch a fish and put him on a dish
And then we'll let him go.
A hunting we will go, a
hunting we will go
Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go
A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go
We'll catch a bear and
cut his hair Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go
A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go
And then we'll let him go.
A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go
Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go
A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go
We'll catch a pig and dance a little jig
And then we'll let him go.
A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go
Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go
A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go
We'll catch a giraffe and make him laugh
And then we'll let him go.
I know a Giraffe (Tune "On
Top of Old Smokey")
I know a giraffe with a neck that's real high
She stretches and stretches till it reaches the sky
She lives on the plains with the elephants too
You might also see her when you go to the zoo
I know a giraffe with a neck that's real high
She stretches and stretches till it reaches the sky
She lives on the plains with the elephants too
You might also see her when you go to the zoo
100 Animals
I went to the zoo
And what did I see?
100 animals
Looking at me.
There were,
10 tall giraffes, eating from the trees.
10 silly monkeys, scratching on their knees.
10 sleeping snakes, lying in the sun.
10 munching elephants, eating peanuts one by one.
10 leaping tigers, performing in the shows,
10 pink flamingos, standing on their toes.
10 grouchy bears, trying to get some sleep.
10 happy hippos, in the water deep.
10 roaring lions, walking two by two.
10 galloping zebras, all living in the zoo
I went to the zoo
And what did I see?
100 animals
Looking at me.
There were,
10 tall giraffes, eating from the trees.
10 silly monkeys, scratching on their knees.
10 sleeping snakes, lying in the sun.
10 munching elephants, eating peanuts one by one.
10 leaping tigers, performing in the shows,
10 pink flamingos, standing on their toes.
10 grouchy bears, trying to get some sleep.
10 happy hippos, in the water deep.
10 roaring lions, walking two by two.
10 galloping zebras, all living in the zoo
CRAFTS
Giraffe Handprint Craft
Paper Bag Giraffe
CURRICULUM
Giraffe’s
Can’t Dance Lesson Plan – K-5
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/giraffes-cant-dance-lesson-plan
Letter
G activities and printables.http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/giraffes-cant-dance-lesson-plan
http://www.first-school.ws/activities/alpha/g/giraffe.htm
PBS
Nature for Teachers: Giraffes
Grade
4-6
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/lesson_plans/tallblondes1.html
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/lesson_plans/tallblondes1.html
Karen Chace 2013 ©
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