Zoom! Activities

1. Design a theme park. You can use a theme featuring a unit of study you are currently working on, or have the class vote on a theme for the amusement park. Brainstorm ideas of rides and attractions. For example, if you are doing a unit on insects, they may design a ride of metamorphosis from a caterpillar to a butterfly; or create an ant colony park.

2. Have the students create an attraction using household items, such as styrofoam cups, toothpicks, building blocks…

3. Write a story. Story starters may include:
   a day at an amusement park,
   a time when you were afraid, but used your courage to overcome your fear,
   a person who has encouraged you to be brave,
   a time when you helped someone else to be brave.

4. Design a poster. Ask students to create a poster advertising a new ride at an amusement park. Remind them to use big lettering and bright colors.

5. Write your own Zoom! book as a class. Each child can write and illustrate a rhyming page to describe a trip to a theme park. Put them together as a class book that they can read during center time or together as a group.

Salty Activities

1. Look up Salt Marsh Harvest Mice on the Internet. Draw a picture of their favorite nesting area, pickleweed.

2. Do a report on an animal from the book. Write about why the habitat is so important for their survival.

3. Take a field trip to a local wildlife refuge. Look for Salty there.

4. Make a collage of your favorite illustration from the book.

5. Hold a fundraiser in your class for your local wildlife refuge.