This day is named for the elephant "Jumbo", captured as a baby and sold several times before ending up with Barnum and Bailey Circus. His story is a pretty sad one, as we'll mention in the Social Studies section, so most of our activities will have to do with elephants in general, and you can decide if or how to approach that with your little ones!
Books
9781783444250
Elmer the colorful patchwork elephant has been a nursery favorite since this first book was published in 1989. This colorful picture book is known to millions and it's subtle message – that it is OK to be different – has made this first tale about everyone's favorite patchwork elephant a classic must-read for every bookshelf.
Did you read that one when you were younger? How about this one:
9780688093389
All the animals are in a panic. The elephant's sneeze would blow the monkeys out of the trees, the feathers off the birds, the stripes off the zebra. Even the fish and the fly, the crocodile and the kangaroo, know what a catastrophe that sneeze would be. "Please don't sneeze!" they beg. . . .
Kids find it just as hilarious today as we did decades ago!
Here's a more modern, but extremely adorable elephant:
9780805098259
Amid the hustle and bustle of the big city, the big crowds, and bigger buildings, Little Elliot, the polka-dotted elephant, leads a quiet life. In spite of the challenges he faces, Elliot finds many wonderful things to enjoy—like cupcakes! And when his problems seem insurmountable, Elliot discovers something even sweeter—a friend.
This is the first title in a series, each equally adorable.
Of course, you'll also want to check out the nonfiction section of your local library! Elephants should be around 599.67
Art
Do a quick image search for "Elmer coloring page," and you will come up with several free printables. Challenge your kids to color each space in so that each color is never touching itself in an adjacent space. My kids love this one!
Language Arts
We might assume Jumbo got his name because of his size, but we would have that somewhat backwards. His name probably came from a combination of Swahili words, but people quickly began using it to mean something extremely large! Take a look next time you are out shopping and see if you can find the word "jumbo" used in advertising - candy bars? Cereal boxes?
What other words can we use to mean "big"? See how many you can list together. Then see if you can put them in order. What would be bigger, in your opinion: something that is enormous, or something that is gargantuan? Write out your new list and add an illustration to each.
Math
A ton is a difficult concept to children who may not know how much a pound is. Talk about different units of weight, and list them from smallest to largest. Arm yourself with a digital kitchen scale and a larger bathroom scale, and try weighing things around your house. (Hint: You can hold mid-sized items and step on the scale, then subtract your own weight - more math!)
Next do some computations: How many apples would you need to weigh as much as the dog? How many dogs would weigh as much as Mom? How many Moms to weigh as much as an elephant??
Science
How many different types of elephants are there? Make a poster or chart showing where each lives, how much they weigh, and all the other differences (and similarities) you can find.
Social Studies
Depending on your child, you could talk about Jumbo's sad history, or you could go more generally into animal trafficking and abuse. Wow, that doesn't sound gentle, does it? But, one example might be talking about what animals need to be happy and healthy, and what happens when they don't get it. Then talk about what you can do to help those who don't get what they need!
For domesticated animals, you could visit your local shelter and volunteer for a day, or do a fund drive for any area rescues.
Wild animals are a whole 'nother...er...animal. In addition to food, water and shelter, they need their freedom! Talk about what it might be like for a baby elephant captured and taken from its mother, or for a garter snake captured in the garden and dropped into a jar. What are the laws in your state regarding keeping wild animals as pets? Why does your child think they have those laws?
Other Web Sites to Explore
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumbo
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