Wild and Domestic Animals

Curriculum Area: Social Sciences (Te Whāriki)

Level: Early Childhood Education (Preschool)

Learning Outcome

By the end of this lesson, children will be able to:

• Identify the difference between wild and domestic animals
• Recognise common wild and domestic animals found in New Zealand
• Understand where these animals live and how they are cared for

Materials Needed

• Picture cards of common New Zealand wild and domestic animals (e.g., kiwi, tuatara, kea, sheep, cow, dog)
• Two large hoops or spaces designated as "Wild" and "Domestic"
• Soft toy animals (if available)
• Whiteboard and markers (optional)

Lesson Structure (10 minutes)

1. Welcome and Warm-Up (2 minutes)

• Gather children in a circle and introduce the topic: “Today we’re going to learn about different types of animals—some that live in the wild, and some that live with people!”
• Start a quick discussion by asking: “Who has a pet at home? What is it?” and “Have you seen an animal outside that wasn’t a pet?”
• Encourage responses, making sure children understand that some animals live with us while others live in nature.

2. Animal Sort Activity (5 minutes)

• Show picture cards one by one and ask children to describe the animal.
• Ask: “Do you think this animal lives with people or by itself in the wild?”
• Invite individual students to place the animal in the correct space (wild or domestic).
• As each animal is sorted, discuss why it belongs in that category (e.g., “Sheep live on farms where people take care of them, but a kiwi lives in the forest and finds food on its own.”)

3. Movement Game: Act Like an Animal! (2 minutes)

• Call out different animals (both wild and domestic) and have children move like that animal.
• Examples: “Hop like a rabbit!”, “Fly like a kea!”, “Walk like a farm dog!”
• Reinforce the learning by asking whether each animal belongs in the wild or with people.

4. Wrap-Up and Reflect (1 minute)

• Gather children back into a circle and ask: “What is one wild animal we talked about today? What is one domestic animal?”
• Praise their efforts and wrap up: “Now we know which animals live in the wild and which live with us or on farms!”
• Optional: Sing a related animal song (e.g., "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" for domestic animals).

Assessment & Extension

• Observation: Check if children correctly sort animals during the game.
• Extension: On another day, take children on a short outdoor walk to look for wild birds or insects in their own environment.

This hands-on and interactive lesson is designed to keep young learners engaged while reinforcing key concepts in an age-appropriate, fun way!