Hippos

Questions:

Have any of you ever seen a hippopotamus?

Read Alouds:

Hilda Must Be Dancing by Karma Wilson

Hippo-not-amus by Tony & Jan Payne

Hattie Hippo by Christine Loomis

Flannel Boards:

Zany Zoo Animal Halves

“Recipe for a Hippopotamus Sandwich” by Shel Silverstein

A hippo sandwich is easy to make.

All you do is simply take...

One slice of bread,

One slice of cake,

Some mayonnaise,

One onion ring,

One hippopotamus,

One piece of string,

A dash of pepper –

That ought to do it.

And now comes the problem...

Biting into it!

Songs:

“My Hippo Has the Hiccups” by Kenn Nesbitt

“Mr. Hippopotamus” by Sue Schnitzer

If You Want To Be a Hippo

Sung to: “If You’re Happy and You Know it”

If you want to be a hippo squish the mud.

If you want to be a hippo squish the mud.

If you want to be a hippo, if you want to be a hippo,

If you want to be a hippo squish the mud!

If you want to be a monkey… jump up high.

If you want to be a lion… roar out loud

If you want to be a parrot... flap your wings

If you want to be an elephant… swing your trunk

Action Songs:

“The Hippopotamus Song” by Eric Ode

“Happy Hippos Hopping” by Roger Day

Fingerplays:

The Zoo
This is the way the elephant goes,

[clasp hands and move arms back and forth like a trunk]
With a curly trunk instead of a nose.
The buffalo all shaggy and fat,

[hold arms out to side]
Has two sharp horns in place of hat.

[point fingers out from forehead]
The hippo with his mouth so wide,
Lets you see what is inside.

[open and close hands to make mouth movements]
The wiggly snake upon the ground,
Crawls along without a sound.

[weave hands back and forth]
But the monkey see and monkey do,
Is the funniest animal in the zoo!

[put thumbs in ears and wiggle hands]

10 Animals
I went to the zoo
And what did I see?
A whole lot of animals
Looking at me!
There were:
10 tall giraffes, eating from the trees.
9 silly monkeys, scratching on their knees.
8 sleeping snakes, lying in the sun.
7 munching elephants, eating peanuts one by one.
6 leaping tigers, performing in the shows,
5 pink flamingos, standing on their toes.
4 grouchy bears, trying to get some sleep.
3 happy hippos, in the water deep.
2 roaring lions, walking two by two.
1 galloping zebra, all living in the zoo!

What Makes a Hippopotamus Smile?

What can make a hippopotamus smile?

[shrug shoulders, trace a smile]

Boom, boom, boom,

                [stomp feet 3x]

What can make her walk for more than a mile?

[shrug shoulders, walk in place]

Not parties with their paper hats,

[arms over head to form a party hat]

Nor candies nor cakes that make her fat.

[hold belly]

That's not what hippos do!

[wag index finger]

What do they do? THEY –

Ooze in the goo without any shoes,

[stomp feet]

And they wade in the water 'till their lips turn blue.

[dribble fingers on lips]

That's what makes a hippopotamus smile!

[trace a smile]

Boom, boom, boom.

                [stomp feet 3x]

Craft:

George & Martha Paper Bag Puppets