Bobbi Richardson

Linda Branch

Rosemary Jodeit

Kindergarten Science

Elephants Have Wrinkles

Overview:

This lesson is designed to be taught in two or more sessions. The students will participate in a variety of activities, including music, poetry and art to learn basic elephant facts, and learn about elephant communication.

Objectives:

SCI.K.9B – Identify and record examples of how living organisms depend on each other, such as a human baby being fed by its mother.

SCI.K.5A – Describe properties of objects such as size and color and characteristics of organisms such as having fur or scales.

ELA.K(1.18F) – Write in different forms for different purposes such as lists to record, letters to invite or thank, and stories or poems to entertain through shared writings.

ELA.K.2.A – Connect experiences and ideas with those of others through speaking and listening.

MUS.K.1.01 – Explore vocal sounds by echo singing, matching pitches, demonstrating fast/slow, loud/soft and high/low.

MUS.K.1.07 – Move to express the mood of the music.

ART.K.1.11 – Develop manipulative skills when drawing, painting, printmaking, and constructing artworks, using a variety of materials.

Materials:

• Book Horton hears a Who by Dr. Seuss
• Pictures, posters, non-fiction books about elephants
• Paper Plates
• Knee High socks (preferably gray)
• Trumpet (a real instrument or a toy version)
• Brown grocery sacks
• Patterns for Elephant ears, trunks, etc
• CD: Carnival of Animals by Camille Saint-Saens
• CD w/Elephants have wrinkles (http://www.deepdownproductions.com/mike-whitla-elephants-have-wrinkles-p-30.html)

Introduction:

Read and discuss book Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss. Ask: Why do you think Horton could hear the Whos when no one else could? (Because his ears are so large?)

Make a  KWL chart about elephants and how they communicate. Record student dictations about what they already know and what they want to know. (Return to chart at end of lesson to record what they have learned.)  

Procedures/Activities:

• Make paper plate elephants:

Allow students to glue cutouts of ears and tusks to a paper plate and cut a hole in the middle of the plate for students to put their “trunks” through. They will need knee-high socks to put on their arms to use as an elephant’s trunk. Students will use this as a prop for portions of this lesson.

• Gather students into discussion area. Use books, pictures, or posters of elephants and questioning strategies to guide the students to the following concepts:

*Elephants use sounds to communicate with each other.

*Elephants use body language as well as sound to show how they feel.

• Have students use their paper plate/sock elephants to pantomime how they think elephants would:

*say hello ( touch trunks) 

*cry (sounds like a creaking door)

*feel relaxed (cross back legs and make a purring sound)

*warn other elephants of danger (raise trunk, hold out ears, shake head,   snort and trumpet loudly, stomp feet)

• Introduce a trumpet to the class. Does it look like an elephant’s trunk? How is a trumpet played? How do you think an elephant makes a “trumpet” sound with its trunk? What family of instruments does the trumpet belong to?

• Play the sound of an elephant trumpeting (http://resources.bravenet.com/audio_clips/sound_effects/animal_-_elephant_trumpeting/listen/), then play a real trumpet. How are they alike/ different?

**Note: A trumpet may be difficult for a novice to play. Teacher may want to practice ahead of time or enlist the help of a band teacher or student trumpet player. A toy trumpet may also be used.

• Carnival of Animals (Elephant Song) by Camille Saint-Saens. Have students listen to this selection and respond with movement. Imagine being an elephant and move to the music.

Other Songs and Poems:

The Elephant Song

(To the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”)

Students use paper plate/sock elephants to act out as well as sing/echo:

The elephant’s trunk goes up and down, up and down, up and down

The elephant’s trunk goes up and down all through the land

Other verses:    swish swish swish

                        squirt squirt squirt

Students may make up additional verses about the elephant’s ears, tail and feet.

            Elephants Have Wrinkles by Mike Whitla
Elephants have wrinkles, wrinkles, wrinkles
Elephants have wrinkles,
Wrinkles everywhere

On their nose (Have child repeat "on their nose")
No one knows (no one knows)
Why-y-y-y
Elephants have wrinkles, wrinkles, wrinkles
Elephants have wrinkles, wrinkles everywhere

On their ears (on their ears)
On their nose (on their nose)
No one knows
Why-y-y-y
Elephants have wrinkles, wrinkles, wrinkles
Elephants have wrinkles, wrinkles everywhere

Continue with:
On their tummies (on their tummies).....ears, nose On their knees (on their knees) .....tummies, ears, nose
On their toes (on their toes) ..... knees, tummies, ears, nose
On their teeth
Spoken: On their teeth? That's ridiculous!

***Extension Art Activity - make elephant out of large brown grocery bag. Cut out a spot for the child’s face and place ears, trunk etc around the hole. Possibly crush the bag and re-open it several times to make “wrinkles”. Have the child wear this elephant costume to act out the song “Elephants Have Wrinkles”.

Poem: The Elephant

By Roberta Seckler Brown and Susan carey

An Elephant is a huge creature.

His long trunk is his best feature.

He uses it to help him eat – peanuts grass and hay.

It also helps him take a bath,

Quick-Get out of the way!