West County Day School at Chesterfield

Zoo-phonics® Curriculum Overview

Preschoolers are eager and excited to learn; therefore, waiting to introduce reading concepts until the
elementary school years is missing years of precious time. Teaching a child to simply recite the
alphabet isn’t enough either. Through Zoo-phonic’s® fun and active methods, there is no limit to
what a child can and will learn! The Zoo-phonics® program fully involves the child in the instruction:
the eyes, ears, mouth and body. It teaches the alphabet using a cast of animal characters and
sounds, and a body movement that directly relates to the animal/letter, allowing children to utilize
the alphabet immediately. Children learn phonemes (individual speech sounds), the alphabet,
how to decode (reading) and encode (spelling and writing). This stress-free and fun method is
used in thousands of school districts throughout the country and is one we are proud to offer.

The following list details the letter, the animal name and the associated action:

Zoo-phonics® Alphabet

a	alligator (Allie Alligator): Extend arms forward one over the other to form an alligator mouth, fingers becoming teeth. Open and close arms from the shoulder. This becomes a clap when sound blending.
b	bear (Bubba Bear): Reach arm above head to reach an imaginary honeycomb. Bring honey to mouth, as a bear might do.
c	cat (Catina Cat): Pretend you are a cat washing your face with paw.
d	deer (Deedee Deer): Use two fingers of each hand to form deer ears on head.
e	elephant (Ellie Elephant): Pretend one arm is a trunk bringing hand to mouth as if feeding yourself peanuts.
f	fish (Francy Fish): Place the palm of one hand on the back of the other hand to form fish- wiggle thumbs. (Make sure there is a thumb on either side).
g	gorilla (Gordo Gorilla): Simulate peeling a banana.
h	horse (Honey Horse): Slap sides of thighs suggesting a horse galloping.
i	inchworm (Inny Inchworm): Using index finger, bend it, then move it back and forth to suggest the movement of an inchworm.
j	jellyfish (Jerry Jellyfish): With finger and hands in front of the body, move them in a jiggly, jelly-like fashion.

	k	kangaroo (Kayo Kangaroo): Make two fists extending one arm out, then bringing it in towards your chest and the other arm extends out.
	l	lizard (Lizzy Lizard): Place hands under chin with elbows lifted up, level with shoulders. (Make sure child keeps tongue in mouth to keep a pure “i” sound)
	m	mouse (Missy Mouse): With fingers to the mouth act as a mouse nibbling on a small piece of cheese.
	n	night owl (Nigel Night owl): Using thumb and index finger of each hand, make a circle around each eye, suggesting big owl eyes.
	o	octopus (Olive Octopus): Extend each arm outward to sides, using a waving motion to suggest the tentacles of an octopus.
	p	penguin (Peewee Penguin): Stiffen arms at sides of body and point hands upward; do a penguin walk, waddling from side to side.
	q	quail (Queeny Quail): Illustrate topknot of the California quail by placing the bent index finger forward at the top of the forehead.
	r	rabbit (Robby Rabbit): Curve both hands and raise them to your chin to represent rabbit paws. Give a hop, hop.
	s	snake (Sammy Snake): Move hand forward in the serpentine manner of a snake.
	t	tiger (Timothy Tiger): Extend arms in a “T” shape to suggest a tiger holding onto the bars of his zoo cage.
	u	umbrella bird (Umber Umbrella Bird): Place hand overhead to suggest holding an umbrella. Extend other arm out to side and flap arm to simulate flying.
	v	vampire bat (Vincent Vampire Bat): Bend and raise elbows horizontally. Bring index fingers to mouth to form little fangs. Flap elbows up and down.
	w	weasel (Willie Weasel): Clasp hands with elbows up horizontally. Make a waving motion with arms to suggest a weasel running up and down a hill.
	x	fox (Xavier Fox): Using the two index fingers, make an “x.” Move fingers like you are knitting needles. (Note: this is the only ending sound used).
	y	yak (Yancy Yak): Forming a “y” with thumb and little finger, place hand by ear as though holding a telephone while in conversation.
	z	zebra (Zeke Zebra): Place hands together and lean cheek against hands to show Zeke catching some “zzz’s” (sleeping).

Nondiscrimination Policy
Applications for enrollment are accepted without regard to race, religion, color, sex, or national origin.