Objective

By the end of this lesson, the first-grade student will be able to understand the importance of physical activity for animals and identify different animal movements.

Materials and Prep

• Open space for movement activities
• Animal picture cards (can be drawn or printed)
• Animal movement flashcards (e.g., walk, hop, crawl, swim)

Activities

1. Animal Movement Charades

   Have the student pick an animal picture card and act out the animal's movement while others guess the animal. Rotate turns to involve everyone.

2. Animal Movement Match-Up

   Spread out the animal movement flashcards on the floor. Call out an animal name, and have the student find and place the corresponding movement card next to it.

3. Animal Obstacle Course

   Create an obstacle course using household items like pillows, chairs, and hula hoops. Assign different animals to each obstacle and have the student move through the course like the animals.

First Grade Talking Points

• "Animals need exercise just like we do! They move their bodies to stay healthy and strong."
• "Some animals walk on two legs like us, while others crawl on four legs or even slither on their bellies."
• "Can you think of any animals that can swim? How about animals that can fly?"
• "When we play animal movement charades, it helps us learn about different animals and how they move."
• "Matching the animal movement cards to the animal names helps us understand how each animal gets around."
• "In the animal obstacle course, we get to pretend to be different animals while going through fun challenges."