In the Middle of
the Savannah
by
Miss May’s First Graders
Stony Point Elementary School
March 2008
The Process
When we began our animal research project, we wanted to
practice together, using one animal from the African Savannah.
We chose the rhinoceros. Mary Lou helped us sketch and label
the rhino, and we worked together to gather facts about it. As a
class, we used these facts to create a poem about the rhino.
After doing this, we felt ready to choose our own animals and do
our own research.
After we each chose an animal from the grasslands that we
liked, we started gathering books so that we could look at
pictures of our animals. Then Mary Lou helped us sketch the
animals, and label them with scientific and mathematical facts.
Next, we drew our animals again with pencil, starting with the
body, and working around. We figured out what colors we would
need for our animals, and Mary Lou helped us mix paints to get
just the right colors. Then we painted our animals.
Next, we each got information on our animal from an
internet site called Enchanted Learning. We used this
information to take scientific and mathematical notes on our
animals. Then we turned the notes into poems. Some of our
poems rhyme and some do not. But they all have true facts about
our animals in them. When we were finished with the poems, the
adults typed them for us, and they got attached to our paintings.
Mary Lou will take all of that, and turn it into a book.
The other first grade classes are making books too, using
animals from different habitats. One class is studying the
rainforest and the other is studying the ocean. When all of our
books are done, we will share our research with each other, so we
can learn about lots of different animals and habitats!
Our Rhino Poem
by Ms. May’s class
Come on rhino
Blow your horn!
Poachers been after you since the day you were born.
You look like a knight in shining armor tonight.
Get ready to fight!
Poachers are coming to steal your horn
Charge at them! Make them wish they were never born!
Warthog
by Tremaine Burruss
Warthog, warthog, stick up your tail.
You’ve got all that hair on your tail.
The little piglets live in the den.
Mama takes care of you and daddy’s gone again.
You don’t like to fight, you always run away,
So we can see you again another day!
Howler Monkey
by Willie Martin
Howler monkey, howler monkey, swinging through
the trees.
Hanging from your tail and hanging by your knees.
You can hear him from 3 miles away.
The loudest land animal today.
Leaves and fruit are what you eat.
And you think that maggots are a treat!
Hippopotamus
by Cole McNair
Hippo, hippo, you’re big and fat,
Swimmin’ through the river, and I like it like that!
You can stay under water for a long time,
In the swamp with all that slime.
Your name means “River Horse”,
But no one rides on you, of course!
Giraffe
by Lauren Burton
Giraffe, giraffe, you are so tall.
You’re the tallest land animal of all.
You have polygons that are brown.
To drink water, you bend your neck way down.
Your little baby is called a calf.
And your silly tongue makes me laugh!
Lion
by Liam Bibb
Lion, lion, keep on tryin’
Catchin’ your prey so you won’t start dyin’.
The male is lazy and the female hunts all day,
While the little cubs run and play.
Lions live about 15 years.
They’re “King of the Jungle” and they have no
fears!
Cheetah
by Carly Phillips
Cheetah, cheetah, you run so fast.
If you were in a race you would never be last.
When you’re born you cannot see.
Your spots look really nice to me.
Your eyes are like an amber jewel.
And I think you’re very cool!
Ostrich
by Dakota Mundy
Ostrich, ostrich, too bad you can’t fly.
Your eggs are big and so is your eye.
You can grow up to be 9 feet tall.
Nothing on you is very small.
You have to kick to protect yourself.
You’re the heaviest, fastest bird I’ve ever seen!
Wild Dog
by Parker Seibert
Wild dog, wild dog, you hunt in a pack.
You have sharp eyes, large ears, and sharp teeth.
We like to lick each others face, every place!
30 miles per hour is how fast we run, to have fun!
You swallow meat in large chunks and regurgitate
for your pups, so they can grow like me!
Wild Cat
by Amelia English
Wild cat, wild cat, running through the grass,
With your powerful jaws and claws.
Climb trees up to the sky,
Gray, light tan, and eating meat.
Red Fox
by Connor Shellenberger
Red fox, clever fox, with your bushy tail.
You double back on your own track to confuse your
enemies.
Change direction quickly to get away from your
enemies.
Your tail keeps your nose and feet warm.
You hunt alone,
Fear of wolves and man.
Zebra
by Clare White
Zebra, zebra, with your black and white stripes.
You run so fast. you run away from lions and
hyenas.
You don’t look alike because of your different
patterns of stripes.
You have such large ears and eyes too.
You eat so much that you could break a box,
You drink so much water at a watering hole.
Stallions watch around the herds.
Your stripes confuse your predators.
Vampire Bat
by Christian Opitz
Bat, bat, sleep upside down all you want!
You use echolocation,
Just like a dolphin in the ocean.
Screech out high-pitched sounds - they bounce all
around,
To tell you where the insects are.
Eat small animals,
Eat a pig tonight!
Go to the barn at night!
Gazelle
by Hannah Thomas
Gazelle, gazelle, you are quite graceful.
You are also a swift runner.
You are the only animal that pronks.
You bonk each other’s horns.
You’re horns are heavily ringed.
You use your sense of hearing to detect predators.
Elephant
by Henry Kipps
Elephant, elephant, with your trunk so long.
Don’t fall over and go “BONG”!
The poacher is after you so run, run, run!
Get a bun if you’re hungry,
And step on a bunny!
Protect your tusks,
even in the dust,
Until you’re safe!
Ape
by Caleb Evans
Ape, Ape
Like Superman in his cape!
Why do you hit your chest?
Are you the best?
You’re like King Kong,
You are so strong.
How did you climb the Empire State Building?
Knockin’ down the town, with your big, sharp, bushy crown.
You live in Zaire, Uganda and Rowanda.
I hope you survive!
Tortoise
by Katie Keenan
Tortoise, tortoise, as brown as shining dirt.
Say goodbye to your eggs,
You’re probably not going to see them again.
You herb eater, mighty cool animal!
Hedgehog
by Savannah McCauley
He pokes around in the dirt for food,
He doesn’t have to wear a shirt, because he has
stiff, spikey spines.
Curl up in a ball,
So nobody can get you at all.
You sleep in the winter,
You hibernate until it is spring.
You sleep in the hot desert.
In the summer you eat bees and wasps, mice and
snakes.
Leopard
by Annie Taylor
Leopard, leopard, you have sharp claws
And you climb up trees fast.
You can catch your prey by running fast,
And you can swim quick.
You can hide your food in trees.
You have black spots on your fur.