At-Academy Activity: Our Chart of Body Parts

In this ready-made museum activity, chaperones will lead small groups of students on a walk around the museum in search of animals.  Students will compare and contrast body parts while engaging in discussion, role-play, and imaginative games.

In this activity for the museum floor, students will:

1. identify, compare, and constrast the major structures of animals
2. observe and imitate movements and sounds

• pieces of cardboard
• tape or glue
• markers
• Our Chart of Body Parts and For the Chaperone (printed 11 x 17 for each small group)

Preparation

1. Print out a copy of the chart and a chaperone sheet for each small group. 
2. Stick the chart to one side of the cardboard, and the chaperone sheet to the other.
3. Bring a marker for each small group.

Procedure

1. Inform chaperones that they lead their small group in search of these 5 animals,while also being on the lookout for a docent.
2. Each time the group "discovers" an animal, the chaperone will facilitate the learning experience by helping the students fill out the body part chart as a group, in addition to using the indicated prompts (or their own) to engage the students in discussion, roleplay, and imaginative games.
3. Assign each chaperone an animal at which to start, so that the groups will be spread out.
4. It is not necessary to follow the script, or even to find all the animals.  Encourage chaperones to ad-lib and have fun with the students.
5. Once the chart is complete, remember to review your data!

Kindergarten

Life Sciences

• 2a. Students know how to observe and describe similarities and differences in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals (e.g., seed-bearing plants, birds, fish, insects).
• 2c. Students know how to identify major structures of common plants and animals (e.g., stems, leaves, roots, arms, wings, legs).

Investigation and Experimentation

• 4e. Communicate observations orally and through drawings.

Visual and Performing Arts: Theatre

• 2.1 Perform imitative movements, rhythmical activities, and theatre games (freeze, statues, and mirrors). 
• 5.1 Dramatize information from other content areas. Use movement and voice, for example, to reinforce vocabulary, such as fast, slow, in, on, through, over, under.