July 30, 2008: Zoos Plan for Disasters

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in the Rocky Mountain News. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers. Click here to learn about subscribing to the eEdition at no cost to you (for Colorado teachers).

Activities:

1. Draw a picture of a family pet or a pet you would like to have. List three things you would do to keep the pet happy and safe.

2. Make a plan for a family pet. Suppose your family had to leave your house quickly. What would you need for the pet? Find equipment, food and other items in newspaper ads that would help move your animal safely. List on a piece of paper the steps you would take. Paste your newspaper items at the bottom of the list.

3. Make a plan for a pet's health. Circle ads or information about veterinarians or animal hospitals in the newspaper. Which veterinarian or hospital is closest to your house? Put a star next to that information.

4. Make a "Disaster Helper" notebook. Find at least five people in newspaper stories or ads who would be able to help a zoo and its animals in a time of stress. Paste the individual's name or picture on a page in the book and write a sentence explaining why you would recommend that person.

5. Prepare to be a zoo animal actor! Use resource books and the Internet to learn about the behaviors of your favorite zoo animal. Make a list of the ways the animal acts in different situations. Now write a story about yourself acting as that animal in a zoo disaster drill. Share your story with family members and friends.

This week's standards:

• Students understand the interactions of animals and their environments. (Science: Life Science)
• Students understand how groups and institutions meet individual needs and promote the common good. (Social Studies: Individuals, Groups and Institutions)
  
  

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)