Zebra Masks
Give each child a paper plate with eye holes cut out of the center. Let the children paint vertical black stripes on the backs of their plates to make zebra faces. When the paint has dried, have the children glue on precut black construction paper nose and ear shapes. (To prevent smears, have them glue their ear shapes to the unpainted sides of their masks.) Display the finished masks on a wall or a bulletin board, or attach tongue depressors for handles and let the children use their masks for dramatic play.
Black and White Mural
Collect several empty roll-on deodorant bottles. Remove the rollers from the bottles and wash the rollers and the bottles thoroughly. Fill the bottles with black tempera and replace the rollers. Put a large piece of white butcher paper on the floor. Give the children the paint-filled deodorant bottles and let them work together to create a black and white mural.
Where Do Zebras Live?
Explain to the children that zebras live on the plains of Africa. Zebras live there because they like to eat the grasses and drink the water from the rivers and lakes that are there. Show pictures from books of the African plains as well as pictures of other environments (cities, mountains, tropical forests, snow-covered landscapes, etc.). As you hold up each picture, ask the children to clap if they think that zebras would like to live in such a place.
Galloping Zebras
Have the children stand in a large circle and pretend to be zebras. Select one child to sit in the middle of the circle and beat out fast and slow rhythms on a drum. Let the zebras gallop around the circle to the rhythms of the drum.
Nine Little Zebras
Cut nine zebra shapes out of white felt and use a black felt-tip marker to add stripes. Place the zebra shapes on a flannelboard one at a time and then remove them as you read the poem below.
One little, two little, three little zebras,
Four little, five little, six little zebras,
Seven little, eight little, nine little zebras,
Galloping across the plain.
Nine little, eight little, seven little zebras,
Six little, five little, four little zebras,
Three little, two little, one little zebra,
Galloping back again.
Stripe Matching
Draw from one to five black stripes on five pairs of index cards. Mix up the cards and let the children take turns matching the stripes.
Black and White Sort
Cut several shapes out of black construction paper. Then cut matching shapes out of white construction paper. Give the shapes to the children and let them take turns sorting them by color or by shape.
I'm a Little Zebra
Sung to : "I'm a Little Teapot"
I'm a little zebra, white and black,
Big bushy mane riding down my back.
I like to gallop and run and play
Out on the African plains all day.
Black and White Sandwiches
To make 4 finger sandwiches, cut the crusts off 2 slices of white bread. Spread each slice with softened cream cheese. Sprinkle chopped black olives on top of 1 slice and put the other slice on top of that. Cut lengthwise into 4 rectangles.