Ezra Jack Keats "Pet Show" activity

At the time of the video conference, I didn't have this ready to send out. I hope you'll find it useful.

Ezra Jack Keats----Pet Show Activity

Have children sit in circle.

Read “Pet Show” by Ezra Jack Keats
(You may need to provide some background on what a germ is)

Explain that we’re going to have a pet show all our own
And that we’ll use the library’s animals.

Have the children close their eyes and hold out their hands.

Hand out the beanie babies—it may help to have a teacher hand some out
(and teachers get one, also!)

Open your eyes!

Show children how to treat their beanie baby tenderly—model stroking its
head, etc.

After children have had a chance to explore their animal, demonstrate how
the beanie gets put on the floor in front of each child for the pet show.

Then—they chant! (You may need to coach them so everyone participates)

Hey Friend! (clap, clap)
What’s your pet? (clap, clap)

Child will identify pet

Everyone repeats the kind of animal it is

(clap, clap, clap, clap, clap) nice pet!
(count aloud: one-two-three-four-five nice pet!)

At the end, have the children put the beanies back in their bags, and into the basket.

You can gauge the group about how they’ll handle the beanies. Some groups get pretty aggressive with them, and it helps to be very structured about how you use them.

Some children end up disappointed in their animal—they like another one better. You can decide whether, if animals are left, you can make a trade.

You might want to do a quick check whether each child can identify their animal—or if you get to the identification point and the child doesn’t know, just supply the name.

Developed by Pat Leach, Youth Services, Bennett Martin Public Library, Lincoln City Libraries, Lincoln, NE.