Pets

Read Alouds:

I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff

What Pet to Get? by Emma Dodd

Don’t Take Your Snake for a Stroll by Karin Ireland

Flannel Boards:

An Octopus Followed Me Home by Dan Yaccarino

The Birthday Pet by Ellen Javernick

I Went to the Pet Store

I went to the pet store

And made a special wish.

The pet that I wanted

Was a very special... (fish)

I went to the pet store,

I went there at a jog.

To get a pet with a wagging tail,

It was a little... (dog)

I went to the pet store,

I went there just like that.

Because I heard a little purr,

It was a little... (cat)

I went to the pet store,

It had become a habit.

The pet I wanted now

Was a soft, fluffy white... (rabbit)

I went to the pet store,

I’m sure this sounds absurd.

But the pet I wanted was

A colorful flying... (bird)

I went to the pet store,

It was no mistake.

What I really wanted now,

Was a hissing green... (snake)

Songs:

“Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales” by Monty Harper

“I Have a Little Turtle” by Sue Schnitzer

Action Songs:

“Sally the Swinging Snake” by Hap Palmer

Fingerplays:

My Pets

There are lots of pets in my house.

I have one gerbil and one white mouse.

[hold up one finger on each hand]

I have two kittens and two green frogs.

[hold up two fingers on each hand]

I have three goldfish and three big dogs.

[hold up three fingers on each hand]

Some folks say that's a lot!

Can you tell how many pets I've got? (twelve)

Here is My Turtle
Here is my turtle,

 [form fist and extend thumb]
He lives in a shell.

[put thumb inside fist]
He likes his home very well.

[nod head]
He pokes his head out  

[pop out thumb]
When he wants to eat

[circle thumb around]
And pulls it back in
When he wants to sleep. 

[put thumb back inside fist]

My Little Turtle
I had a little turtle

                [make a fist]

That lived in a box.

                [cover fist with other hand]

He swam in a puddle

                [pretend to swim]

And he climbed on the rocks.

                [pretend to climb]

He snapped at a mosquito,

                [snap]

He snapped at a flea,

                [snap]

He snapped at a minnow

                [snap]

And he snapped at me.

                [point to self]

He caught the mosquito,

                [clap]

He caught the flea,

                [clap]

He caught the minnow,

                [clap]

But he didn’t catch me!

                [wag index finger]

“I’m Being Eaten by a Boa Constrictor” by Shel Silverstein

Oh, I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor.
I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor,
And I don't like it one bit.
Well, what do you know?
It's nibblin' my toe.
Oh, gee,
It's up to my knee.
Oh my,
It's up to my thigh.
Oh, fiddle,
It's up to my middle.
Oh, heck,
It's up to my neck.
Oh, dread,
It's upmmmmmmmmmmffffffffff . . .

The Little Snake

Slithering, sliding, slinking,

[weave hands back and forth]

Comes the little snake.

In and out goes her tongue...

[stick out tongue]

What a great pet she would make!

Craft:

Mosaic Paper Plate Turtles