Animals Around Us

WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Recognise and use animal vocabulary in English.
• Practise asking and answering simple questions about animals.
• Use language and expressions for communicating about familiar animals.
• Develop confidence communicating in English with a trusted adult and peer.

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Curriculum Connection

This lesson aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh for English, focusing on oral language development and communicative competence for early learners (preschool). Key focus includes:

• Listening, Reading, and Viewing Strand: New vocabulary acquisition through meaningful and contextual experiences.
• Speaking, Writing, and Presenting Strand: Use spoken language for a range of purposes, including asking and answering questions.
• Social Interaction Competency (Learning to Learn): Encourages turn-taking and responsive communication in small groups.
• Development of Vocabulary and Sentence Structures appropriate for beginning learners, including naming nouns (animals) and simple verbs (actions).

This lesson supports communicative goals outlined in the Curriculum's emphasis on oral language in all curriculum areas, including speaking and listening practice and metacognitive strategies such as self-monitoring and reflection appropriate for early learners,.

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Lesson Overview

Duration: 30 minutes
Class size: 2 students
Unit: Communicating with Touch Chat
Lesson 6 of 20
Topic: Animals Around Us
Focus: Animal vocabulary; asking and answering questions

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Detailed Lesson Plan

1. Introduction & Warm-up (5 minutes)

• Set the context: Show 4–5 large colourful animal pictures or toys (e.g., dog, cat, bird, fish, sheep).
• WALT: "We are learning to name animals and ask questions about them."
• Use simple greetings and acknowledge students’ prior learning.
• Use clear, slow speech with simple sentence stems, e.g., "What animal is this?" and "It is a dog."

Differentiation:

• Use visual aids and realia for comprehension.
• For students needing extra support, use tactile objects or animal textures for sensory input.

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2. Vocabulary Introduction (7 minutes)

• Present each animal picture or toy one by one.
• Model the name clearly, using touch chat symbols or AAC icons if available.
• Use gestures and facial expressions aligned with each animal (e.g., flap arms like a bird).
• Encourage students to repeat animal names aloud or using their communication device.
• Show video/audio clips of animal sounds to increase engagement and contextual learning.

Dyslexia-friendly reading option:

• Use large, clear font cards with animal names under images.
• Use consistent colour coding for vowels and consonants (e.g., vowels in blue, consonants in black).
• Emphasise one animal name at a time to avoid overload.

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3. Question Practice Activity (8 minutes)

• Use a simple question and answer routine:
  • Teacher/model: "What animal is this?" Point to an animal.
  • Student(s): Name the animal or use AAC symbols to respond.
  • Teacher/model: "Does the [animal] say ‘woof’?" Invite student reply (yes/no).
• Swap roles between teacher and students to ask and answer.
• Use sentence stems visually displayed, e.g.,
  • "This is a ____."
  • "Does a ____ say ____?"

Differentiation:

• For emerging communicators, reinforce with non-verbal yes/no responses and gestures.
• For more advanced language users, encourage full sentence responses.

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4. Role Play / Dramatic Play (7 minutes)

• Create a mini 'farm' or 'jungle' corner with animal toys or pictures.
• Guide students to take on the role of animals or farmers, encouraging the use of animal vocabulary and simple phrases.
• Model short dialogues, e.g., "I am a sheep. Baa, baa." "Do you like to eat grass?"
• Include touch chat or AAC prompts for sentence starters.

Differentiation:

• Support communication with picture cards or device vocabulary as needed.
• Encourage gestural responses for students needing physical movement and sensory engagement.

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5. Reflection and Closing (3 minutes)

• Have students share their favourite animal using a sentence stem: "My favourite animal is ___." Use touch chat to support.
• Ask simple review questions: "What animals did we learn today?" "Can you show me the dog?"
• Give positive feedback emphasising effort and participation.

Self-regulation & metacognitive support:

• Encourage students to say or signal if they found a part easy or hard.
• Use positive self-talk prompts: "I did a great job talking about animals!"

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Assessment

• Observation of students’ use of animal vocabulary during activities.
• Participation in asking and answering questions with support.
• Ability to recall and name at least 3 animals by end of the lesson.
• Use of sentence stems or AAC to form simple phrases about animals.

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Resources

• Animal picture cards or toys (dog, cat, bird, fish, sheep)
• Touch Chat AAC app or similar (with animal vocabulary)
• Large print vocabulary cards (dyslexia friendly)
• Audio or video clips of animal sounds
• Mini role-play props (farm/jungle setup)

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Teacher Notes

• Use explicit modelling of sentence structure — "This is a cat." "Does the cat say meow?"
• Incorporate visual supports and multisensory approaches to suit diverse learners.
• Provide positive reinforcement to build confidence and motivation.
• Use turn-taking and reciprocal communication to build interpersonal skills.
• Link to students’ own experiences with animals at home or in the community to deepen engagement.

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This detailed, curriculum-aligned plan incorporates early language development, meets the needs of diverse learners including those with dyslexia, and uses multi-modal strategies consistent with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh English strand for preschool learners.