Overview
The children will pretend to see zebras at the zoo and then practice saying the /z/ sound in words that start with the letter Z such as zip, zebra, and zoo.

Literacy Activities
Zigzag zebra

• Read Zed the Zebra by An Vrombaut and have the children listen for words in the story that start with the /z/ sound (optional).
• Write the word zebra on the whiteboard and explain that zebra starts with the letter Z, which makes the /z/ sound.
• Point out that the letter Z looks like a zigzag.
• Show the children the large zebra graphic and explain that the zebra needs zigzag stripes.
• Help the children tape or glue strips of black paper on the zebra in the shape of the letter Z to make zigzag stripes.
• Read the words on the Z Zebra Zoo sign to the children.
• Have the children circle the letter Z in each word on the sign and ask them to say the /z/ sound each time they circle a letter.

More Practice
Write the target letter

• Explain to the children that the big zebra would like to have more friends with him the zoo.
• Give each child a small zebra picture.
• Help the children write the letter Z on the zebras to make zigzag stripes.
• Allow the children to place the smaller zebras with the large zebra in the pretend zoo.