BACKGROUND:

Animals in the classroom can be a frustrating experience, especially if an animal dies. Puppets can help provide an easy and safe way to introduce vertebrates and invertebrates to your class. Using the puppets with books can help you design a presentation and they will not only entertain your students but teach them the essential zoological information of animals.

PROCEDURE:

1. Read, Phoca, the Traveling Harbor Seal to your students.  It is about a harbor seal  (scientific name, Phoca vitulina) that lives in the San Francisco Bay, and was born in  Mowry Slough. After reading the story discuss the vertebrates and invertebrates in the story.  Make sure you have students notice that the vertebrate (harbor seal) ate many invertebrates  (i.e octopus).  
     
2. Tell each child they have 1 or 2 minutes to use a puppet and tell a story to the rest of the class. The story can be a fable or a true story. Give the children time to play with the puppets to learn how to use each one. You may want students to bring in puppets from home, but to tell a story about animals.
     
3. This exercise can take several days, but the children will enjoy every minute of it. If a student is having trouble with the presentation try to calm the student so he or she can gain confidence to speak in front of the class.