Animal body parts

This activity is designed to stretch students' vocabulary related to animals. I've used it with Primary 3 and 4 students and they're enjoyed it. The materials were designed for an 80-minute class, so if your classes are shorter, you drop steps or spread them over two class periods. Enjoy!

Procedure

Presentation
1. Introduce animal parts (pp.1–3)
- project words on screen from PC or visualizer
- use Total Physical Response (TPR) for fun and memory connections
- I usually do 5 items at a time and drill memory and pronunciation as I go

(Click Animal Body Parts to open an editable Word document. Images are below.)

Practice
2. Spell & write (p.4)
- ss write animals body parts and names of animals with those body parts 
- ss won't know some animals in English or how to spell their names
- make them use their English, e.g. This fish is dangerous. (shark) This animal has a long neck. (giraffe) It has a shell. It is small. We eat it. (snail / shrimp)
- make ss ask for spelling, e.g. How do you spell [giraffe]? — and I always make them start and spell as much as they can            

3. Check results
- write animal body parts on board / or project p.4 on board
- have ss share animals for each body part and write those animals on the board; 2 or 3 animals per

4. Check understanding
- clear or cover board

- use TPR to check body parts
- ask Does [a bear] have fur / spots / stripes? Does [an elephant] have a tail / fins / tusks? 
- You can do this as a class to start and then set them up to do in groups.

Check
5. Crossword (p.5)
- have ss do in pairs or groups
- to level down, fill in some letters in the crossword, esp for BONUS words
- project on board and have ss fill in answers

6. Odd one out (p.6)
- have ss circle the one animal that doesn't belong in each set
- check answers and have ss given reasons, e.g. A bear doesn't have scales. A snake doesn't have claws. 

Write & speak
7. Draw and write
- have ss draw one real animal and/or one imaginary animal (choose only one if time is limited)
- tell ss to give each animal a name and to write 3 or 4 sentences about them, e.g. Hello. I am … / My name is … I’ve got … two blue horns and gills and I can swim underwater.
- ss can write about age, family, hobbies, likes, etc.; brainstorm ideas and board with ss if you like

8. Act
- put ss into pairs and have act out/role-play their real or imaginary animal

                Hello, I’m Owen and I’m a shark. 

                                Hi, Owen. It's nice to meet you. I'm a ...