peelosophy

One of the projects I loved doing this summer was creating and then using JJ’s Zoo Field Guide.  We are Zoo members (thank you to Mr. and Mrs. E!) and with that you receive a STL Zoo Magazine.  JJ and I usually look through it together when it arrives and talk about the animals we want to see the next time we go to the zoo.  Unfortunately, the next time we go to the zoo we have already forgotten what animals we saw in the magazine.

This time when the magazine came, we recycled it by making a Zoo Field Guide. Here’s how we did it:

1- We made a “book” out of construction paper by folding 6 pieces of construction paper in half and stapling the folded end.

2- We cut out all the pictures of the animals we wanted to see on our next trip to the Zoo.

3- Then we made the “Chapters” of the book. This was basically dividing the selected animals into the areas in the Zoo where they were located.  So one page was labeled, “Big Cat Country” another was “River’s Edge”.  This was a big help, because I could only imagine us walking all the way through the River’s Edge and  to see an animal that was glued at the end of the field guide.  If you know a four-year old, you know inevitably you would have to walk ALL THE WAY back through the River’s Edge just to find that animal that you missed in the book.

Another chapter heading was “Mystery Guy”.  This was an animal whose picture was not labeled in the magazine and we had NO idea what it could be – so we had to talk to a zookeeper to find out what it was and where to find it.

4- Next, we went through and pasted all the animals under the appropriate areas we would find them in the Zoo.

5- Finally, JJ went through and made little check boxes next to each of the animals.  Then when we went to the Zoo he could check off the animals that we found.

When we did go to the Zoo, JJ loved looking for all the animals. He held his Field Guide the entire trip and was motivated to find EVERY animal that was in the book and, surprisingly, so was I.

Saint Louis Zoo Fact Sheet