Overview
The children will make zig-zag stripes on a zebra as they recognize and name the uppercase letter Z and the lowercase letter z.

Literacy Activities
Zig Zag Zebra

• Write the uppercase letter Z and the lowercase letter z on a whiteboard (pointing out that size is the only difference between the two), name the letters, and have the children write the Z and z in the air with their fingers.
• Show the children the zebra graphic and ask them what is missing from the zebra (the stripes).
• Give the children the strips of black paper and the zebra graphic.
• Help the children tape or glue the strips on the zebra in the shape of the letter Z to make zig-zag 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.
• Let the children place the zebra graphic near the sign and pretend to watch the zebra at the zoo.

More Practice
Identify the target letter

• Mix up the letter cards, then have the children draw a card one at a time.
• Help the children decide whether or not each letter is an uppercase letter Z or a lowercase letter z.
  • If the letter is a Z, have the children put it by the sign in the pretend Z Zebra Zoo.
  • If the letter is not a Z, have the children place it in the discard pile.
  • If a child misidentifies a distractor letter as a Z or a z, have him or her look at the Z and z on the whiteboard and compare them to the letter he or she picked.

Write the target letter

• Give the children the small zebra graphics and have them circle the letter Z in the word zebra.
• Help the children write the uppercase letter Z and the lowercase letter z on the zebra graphic.
• Let the children place the small zebras by the large zebra in the pretend Z Zebra Zoo.