Grades: primary
Before your visit:
•
Look at several pictures of horses and burros. (Photos are available in books or on-line.)
Compare the animals. How are they alike/different?
Books about Horses and Donkeys:
Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry, The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble, Horse Sanctuary
by Allison Milionis, Horses (DK Pockets) by DK Publishing, Horses, Donkeys and Mules in the Marines (America’s
Animal Soldiers) by Meish Goldish, Little Donkeys (Born to be Wild) by Ariane Chottin, Misty of Chincoteague by
Marguerite Henry, Pedro’s Burro (My First I Can Read) by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, The Wild Horses of Sweetbriar by
Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
•
Introduce and define vocabulary: mammals, equine, foal, burro (another name for
donkey).
Share these interesting facts about horses and burros:
Discuss with the children why some horses and burros are wild. Ask the students to think about
why some of the animals have to be rounded up and adopted. Help the children consider some
of these facts.
1. Horses and donkeys are both equines; however, there are many differences
between them.
a. Donkeys are often called burros. They are thought to be more
intelligent and stubborn than horses. Their ears and eyes are larger.
Their coats are longer and coarser. Their hooves are smaller and
stronger. They have thicker neck muscles. Donkeys are much smaller
than horses. They are more reliable when carrying something that
weighs a lot. A male donkey is called a jack, a female is a jenny, and
the babies are called foals. Donkeys can live for 30 – 50 years.
b. Horses are much larger than donkeys. They have smaller ears and
eyes. Their coats are smoother. They can run faster. A male horse is
called a stallion, a female is a mare and the babies are called foals. A
female foal is a filly and a male foal is a colt.
The FairKids Field Trips are a program of The Learning Centers at Fairplex, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization.
Grades: primary
2. A mule is a cross between a male donkey and a female horse. They are
bigger than donkeys, and have large, donkey-like ears.
3. There are about 2,000 wild horses and 500 wild burros living in
California. The horses are descended from released ranch and Spanish stock.
After World War 1, the Calvary also released some horses. The burros
descended from abandoned or escaped mining stock.
4. In 1971, The “Wild and Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act” gave the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) the responsibility of protecting these animals
and maintaining the herds. The population of the wild herds increases by
about 20% each year. Therefore, the excess horses need to be removed
every two to three years. The horses are rounded up in the fall. The horses
are then sorted and moved to a holding facility. They get checked by a vet,
get shots, and have blood tests. They are then available for adoption.
5. There are two main wild horse and burro preparation facilities in California,
one is in Litchfield and the other is in Ridgecrest. There is also a small facility
in Redlands. California residents are able to visit and adopt animals at these
locations.
•
Make a double bubble map to compare/contrast horses and burros.
The FairKids Field Trips are a program of The Learning Centers at Fairplex, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization.
Grades: primary
Place the following poem in a pocket chart. Read many times so that the children
memorize the poem.
Donkey
Donkey, donkey, old and gray,
Open your mouth and gently bray.
Lift your ears and blow your horn,
To wake the world this sleepy morn.
The FairKids Field Trips are a program of The Learning Centers at Fairplex, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization.
Grades: primary
During your visit:
•
Look at the wild horse and donkey. Name three of the differences between them.
Which one do you like the best? Why?
•
Think about the care that these animals require. Would it be hard work to own a horse
or a burro? If possible, ask one of the guides at the “Yesterday and Today” exhibit about
the care that horses and burros need.
After your visit:
•
Discuss the horse and donkey that you saw in the “Yesterday and Today” exhibit. Add
information to your double bubble map as needed.
•
Would you like to adopt a wild horse or burro? Write a paragraph explaining your
reasons.
•
Make a handprint burro.
1. Paint the child’s hand gray.
2. Press the handprint on construction paper.
3. The four fingers will be the legs, and the thumb will be the horse’s neck.
4. Add a head, ears, and tail with gray paint. Add details with a black marker (eyes,
mane, and hooves)
•
Make a footprint horse.
1. Trace the child’s footprint on brown paper. This will be the head.
2. Cut and glue to construction paper. Add googly eyes.
3. Cut a neck and ears from construction paper. Glue to the head.
4. Add small pieces of yarn for the mane.
•
Play horseshoes and Pin the Tail on the Donkey.
The FairKids Field Trips are a program of The Learning Centers at Fairplex, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization.
Grades: primary
Name __________________________________________
Think about the horse and burro you saw when you visited the Yesterday
and Today exhibit. Would you like to own one of these animals? Think about the
care that a horse or burro would require. Write an opinion paragraph explaining
why you would or would not want to have one of these animals. Include a topic
sentence, three detail sentences and a conclusion sentence. Draw a picture to
match your paragraph.
The FairKids Field Trips are a program of The Learning Centers at Fairplex, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization.
Grades: primary
Horses and Burros Double Bubble Map
Horses
Name _________________________
Burros
The FairKids Field Trips are a program of The Learning Centers at Fairplex, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization.