C a p t i o n e d
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#10007
THE BIG ZOO
BIG KIDS PRODUCTIONS, INC., 1995
Grade Level: 1-4
40 mins.
1 Instructional Graphic Enclosed
DESCRIPTION
Visit the Baltimore Zoo early in the morning as the zookeepers get the animals and
grounds ready for visitors. Roam different areas and exhibits, seeing animals from
all over the world; learn facts about their habitats, size, and care. Meet the zoo
doctor before day's end when the keepers gather the animals for the night. NOTE:
After the ending credits, there is a multiple-choice quiz and questions for the zoo
director.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS
Subject Area: Science–Life Sciences
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Standard: Understands the structure and function of cells
and organisms
Š
Benchmark: Knows that plants and animals progress
through life cycles of birth, growth and development,
reproduction, and death; the details of these life
cycles are different for different organisms. (See
INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS 1.)
Š
Benchmark: Knows that living organisms have distinct
structures and body systems that serve specific
function in growth, survival, and reproduction (e.g., various body structures
for walking, flying, or swimming) (See INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS 3.)
Standard: Understand relationships among organisms and their physical
environment
Š
Benchmark: Knows that an organism’s patterns of behavior are related to
the nature of that organism’s environment (e.g., kinds and numbers of other
organisms present, availability of food and resources, physical characteristics
of the environment) (See INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS 2.)
Subject Area: Science–Nature of Science
•
Standard: Understands the scientific enterprise
Š
Benchmark: Knows that people of all backgrounds and with diverse
interests, talents, qualities, and motivations engage in fields of science and
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VOICE (800) 237-6213 TTY (800) 237-6819 FAX (800) 538-5636 E-MAIL [email protected] WEB www.cfv.org
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engineering; some of these people work in teams and others work alone, but
all communicate extensively with others (See INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS 4.)
INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS
1.
2.
3.
4.
To
To
To
To
introduce animals that live in zoos.
explore a variety of animal habitats.
describe body shapes, sizes, and features of certain zoo animals.
point out the responsibilities of those who work in a zoo.
VOCABULARY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
amphibians
birds
carotene
diet
endangered species
exhibit
farmyard
food chain
habitat
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
keepers
mammal
poisonous
predator
protective coloration
reptiles
trainers
veterinarian
visitors
BEFORE SHOWING
1. Locate Baltimore, Maryland, on a map and explain that the video was filmed at
the Baltimore Zoo.
2. Display a variety of toy animals and classify them as farm animals, zoo animals,
or pets. Discuss which animals are not found in zoos.
3. Make individual lists of ten animals that are
commonly found in zoos. Compare lists and
discuss why certain animals are listed more
than others.
4. Discuss past personal experiences on trips to
the zoo.
DURING SHOWING
1. View the video more than once, with one
showing uninterrupted.
2. Pause after each section showing animals such as the South African penguin,
Siberian tiger, and Egyptian tortoise. Point out the natural habitat of these
animals on a map.
3. Pause at the section showing the protective coloration of zebras and sitatunga.
Discuss how this feature is helpful to animals.
4. Pause at the scene showing the python swallowing the rat. Point out the special
jaw feature that enables the snake to do this.
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AFTER SHOWING
Discussion Items and Questions
1. How do zoo workers keep track of how much
food the penguins eat?
2. How tall can polar bears grow to be? Why
do polar bears float on ice?
3. How fast can a rhinoceros run? What is a
rhinoceros’s horn made of?
4. Explain the food chain. Give an example of
a food chain.
5. Why are poison dart frogs harmful to other
animals?
6. Explain what endangered species means. What are some endangered species
that zoos help protect?
7. How many pounds does an elephant weigh? Why do trainers at the zoo teach
the elephants voice commands? What does the elephant use its ears for?
8. How tall can a giraffe grow to be? What must a giraffe do to reach and eat
grass on the ground? How tall is a baby giraffe when it is born?
9. What are some duties of a zoo veterinarian?
10. Name some of the birds found at the zoo.
11. Describe a cave. Name some animals that live in a cave.
12. What are some advantages and disadvantages of living in the wild and living in a
zoo?
Applications and Activities
1. Design a poster depicting the stages of the food chain and label each part.
2. Present short reports on topics mentioned in the video. Consider:
a. Poison dart frogs.
b. Protective coloration.
c. Endangered species.
d. Zookeepers’ jobs.
e. Animal habitats.
3. Complete a worksheet on identifying certain zoo animals. (See INSTRUCTIONAL
GRAPHIC.)
4. Make zoo animal masks using paper plates and elastic bands. Write a physical
description of the animal represented.
5. Tape the name of a zoo animal on the back of a person. That person must ask
others yes/no questions about that animal until he or she identifies that animal
correctly.
6. Write a one-day journal on what it is like to live in a zoo from the animal’s
viewpoint.
7. Draw a picture of an imaginary zoo animal that does not exist. Give the animal
a name. Describe the animal’s habitat and what it eats.
8. Read stories or books about animals.
9. Construct a model of a zoo using clay animals.
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VOICE (800) 237-6213 TTY (800) 237-6819 FAX (800) 538-5636 E-MAIL [email protected] WEB www.cfv.org
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10. Develop math activities to go along with the video:
a. Polar bears can weigh 1600 pounds. How many pounds will three polar
bears weigh?
b. A rhinoceros weighs 2 ½ tons. How many pounds is that?
c. A baby giraffe drinks 3 gallons of milk a day. How many glasses will 1 gallon
fill? How many glasses will 3 gallons fill?
d. A giraffe can be 18 feet tall. How many inches is that?
RELATED RESOURCES
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Animal ABCs #2592
At Home with Zoo Animals #3212
The Zoo Crew #10009
World Wide Web
The following Web sites complement the contents of this
guide; they were selected by professionals who have
experience in teaching deaf and hard of hearing students.
Every effort was made to select accurate, educationally
relevant, and “kid safe” sites. However, teachers should
preview them before use. The U.S. Department of
Education, the National Association of the Deaf, and the
Captioned Media Program do not endorse the sites and
are not responsible for their content.
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THE BALTIMORE ZOO
http://www.baltimorezoo.org/06-flash/home_flash.html
Includes information about the zoo in general. Contains downloadable worksheets
about zoo animals that can be incorporated into lessons. Examples are: ongrounds scavenger hunt, reading comprehension sheets, math activity sheets, and
a self-guided safari packet.
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KIDS WORLD
http://www.northvalley.net/kids/zoos.shtml
Contains links to various zoos in the United States.
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KIDS CLICK
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/KidsClick!/midanim.html
Contains links to sites that have educational games, animal photo albums, wild
animal fact sheets, and other information about zoo animals.
INSTRUCTIONAL GRAPHIC
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ZOO CREATURE JUMBLE
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VOICE (800) 237-6213 TTY (800) 237-6819 FAX (800) 538-5636 E-MAIL [email protected] WEB www.cfv.org
Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Education
Zoo Creature Jumble
9. I catch insects for food with my long, sticky tongue. I am a
8. I sleep standing on one foot. I am a
7. I am a mammal, but I have hard plates on my body. I am a
6. I look like a horse with stripes. I am a
5. I have long, sharp quills on my body. I am a
4. I live in underground burrows. I am a
3. I can swallow a dead rat whole. I am a
2. I use a bill to scoop up fish. I am a
1. I have a horn on my snout. I am a
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d.
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10. I can hide underwater with my eyes above the water. I am a
c.
b.
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e.
f.
Directions: Write the name of the animal in the blank and match the picture.
#10007 THE BIG ZOO
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h.
Captioned Media Program
VOICE (800) 237-6213 TTY (800) 237-6819 FAX (800) 538-5636 E-MAIL [email protected] WEB www.cfv.org
Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Education
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