Endangered Animals.

Tuesday (22/06/2010)
a) Endangered animals
l Before starting, we recapped on some flash card words that learnt earlier. After that I introduced the word, “Endangered Animals”. Initially, they were confused with the “danger” word. As for dinosaurs, they had “extinct”.
l The kids came out individually to take a picture randomly from a basket with eyes closed. These were a few pictures we managed to learn about.
- Sailfish or swordfish – They live in the ocean. With so much rubbish in the water, this is threatening them. Furthermore, humans catch them for their long sword-mouth.
- Hornbill – This is the Mascot of Sabah and and is its endangered because they are losing their homes due to development. They are also hungry as they can’t find enough bugs which also live in the forest.
- Bear – As we have learnt earlier; development has destroyed their homes and food. They either migrate to a new home or Brown Bears actually migrate to the Arctic. However, Global Warming is threatening the Polar Bears there. Qian Joe reminded us that hunters hunt them for their fur.
- Lobster – They are all confused between lobsters and scorpions. They live in the ocean and with the water pollution such as oil spillage, isn’t this threatening them too?
- Seahorse – Kids were very happy about it because the father has a pouch to carry the egg and give birth to it. Yan Shan requested to watch a video clip about it. I will search and share with them.
- Rhinoceros Beetle – Again, the destroyed plants and forest has take away their homes and preys. How can they survive?
- Elephants – The kids immediately responded by saying, “Hunters are causing them to endager!” True enough! However its is also because of developmenst. It’s not surprising to see elephants running into a town back in Sabah and Sarawak.
Let’s think: How would you feel? Imagine you were an animal such as elephant. You just lost your forest home, your family members. You were captured. Your tusks were cut off. Some of your friends being killed to get their skin. How would you feel? The kids felt sad and thought that we must save the animals!

b) Board game: Save the animals.
l Foo Soon brought his board game of Snake and ladder. Some kids already know how to play. The ladder enables them to climb. The snakes’ tails will make them fall. Another board game is mine. It has no ladders but pictures to provide information. Example: a picture of loving animals says “you can move higher to 28”. Another picture of hitting the animal says “please go down to 1”.
l The kids preferred the second type. I chose a 6-year old to represent each group. The other kids chose their desired group. Altogether there are 4 groups with 5 kids in it.