Science
Animals Around Me
Animals around me
Meet the goat, hen, dog, cat, fish and lizard, hear the sounds they make, and see what they eat.
Animals near us
Animals live near our homes.
Some have four legs. Some have wings. Some have fins.
Let us go and meet them!
Ask: Which animal did you see today?
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The goat
This is a goat.
It has four legs, two ears and two horns.
Goats walk along our streets in Ghana.
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The goat says
The goat says meh-eh-eh!
Say it with me. Meh-eh-eh!
Goats eat grass and leaves. Munch, munch, munch.
Ask: Have you seen a goat eating?
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Baby goats
A baby goat is called a kid.
Kids jump and play. Boing, boing!
They drink milk from their mother.
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The hen
This is a hen. She has two legs, two wings and a beak.
Her babies are called chicks.
Cheep, cheep, cheep!
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The hen says
The hen says cluck, cluck, cluck.
She scratches the ground. Scratch, scratch.
She eats corn and little seeds. Peck, peck, peck!
Ask: Can you peck like a hen?
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Eggs
The hen lays eggs.
Ama collects them in a basket. Carefully!
We eat eggs. The hen keeps some, and chicks come out.
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The cockerel
The father hen is a cockerel.
He wakes us in the morning.
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
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Old MacDonald
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a hen...
Sing it! Make the sound of each animal.
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The dog
This is a dog.
Four legs, a wagging tail and a wet nose.
Dogs guard our homes.
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The dog says
The dog says woof, woof!
Say it loud. Woof!
Dogs eat meat and bones. They drink water. Lap, lap, lap.
Ask: What does a dog do when it is happy?
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Be kind to dogs
Do not pull a dog's tail.
Do not run from a dog you do not know.
Ask a grown-up first. Then stroke gently.
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The cat
This is a cat.
Soft fur, long whiskers, a long tail.
Cats like to sleep in the sun.
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The cat says
The cat says meow.
When it is happy it goes purr, purr, purr.
Cats eat fish and small bits of meat. They catch mice!
Ask: Can you purr like a cat?
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The fish
This is a fish. It is a tilapia.
It has fins and a tail. No legs at all!
Fish live in water.
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The fish is quiet
The fish makes no sound. It opens and closes its mouth.
Do it with me. Open, close. Open, close.
Fish eat tiny plants and tiny bugs in the water.
Ask: Can you swim like a fish with your hands?
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The lizard
This is a lizard. An agama.
It has four short legs and a long tail.
It runs up walls and sits in the sun.
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The lizard nods
The lizard is quiet too. But it nods its head.
Nod, nod, nod.
Lizards eat flies and ants. Snap!
Ask: Can you nod like a lizard?
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Animal sounds song
Meh! Cluck! Woof! Meow!
Which animal makes which sound?
Sing and find out.
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Legs
Goat: four legs. Dog: four. Cat: four. Lizard: four.
Hen: two legs.
Fish: no legs!
Ask: How many legs do you have?
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Covering
The goat has hair. The cat has fur.
The hen has feathers.
The fish has scales. The lizard has scales too.
Ask: What do you have? Hair or feathers?
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Where do they live?
The goat sleeps in a pen. The hen sleeps in a coop.
The dog sleeps by the door.
The fish lives in the river. The lizard lives on the wall.
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What do they eat?
Goat: grass. Hen: corn. Dog: meat.
Cat: fish. Fish: tiny plants. Lizard: flies.
Every animal needs food, just like you.
Ask: What did you eat today?
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Water
All animals need water.
The goat drinks. The dog laps. The hen sips.
Kofi fills the dog's bowl every morning.
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I have a pet
Some animals live with us. We care for them.
We give them food. We give them water. We are gentle.
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Big and small
The goat is big. The chick is small.
The dog is big. The lizard is small.
Ask: Which is bigger, a cat or a hen?
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Move like an animal
Walk like a goat. Clip, clop.
Flap like a hen. Flap, flap.
Wag like a dog. Stretch like a cat. Wriggle like a fish!
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Guess the animal
It says meow. It has whiskers. What is it?
It lays eggs. It says cluck. What is it?
It has no legs. It swims. What is it?
Ask: Can you make one up for me?
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The farm song
The animals on the farm make lots of sounds.
Quack, moo, neigh, baa!
Can you make them all?
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Animals all around
Goat, hen, dog, cat, fish, lizard.
They live near us. They eat. They drink. They make sounds.
Look for them tomorrow. Say hello!
Ask: Which animal is your favourite?
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Learn more
- National Geographic Kids: Animals — photos and facts about animals, for sharing with a child
- Super Simple — the animal songs in this book
- BBC CBeebies — clips about animals and nature for the very young
- UNICEF Parenting — ideas for learning through play at home
- NaCCA Ghana — Ghana's early years curriculum
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Watch more
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Think about it
- What sound does a goat make?
- Which animal has feathers?
- Which animal has no legs?
- What does a hen eat?
- How can we be kind to a dog?
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This book is for reading on SchoolSpec and cannot be printed.