7 Animal Classroom Transformations Your Class Will Love

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animal classroom transformations

What kid doesn’t love animals? Animal classroom transformations are perfect for student engagement! I LOVE to incorporate animals into my classroom learning environment anytime it is possible because it grabs their attention immediately. Have you ever tried animal classroom transformations? This is a themed classroom transformation where you decorate your room to be a zoo, a safari, or maybe even a veterinarian’s office! Today, we’re chatting about my top 7 favorite animal classroom transformations.

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Zoo Classroom Transformation

welcome to the zoo sign

Zoo Day is perfect for any classroom because most students have background knowledge of what a zoo is and will instantly recognize what your room has been transformed into. In this room transformation, students solve 30 zoo-themed questions that are set up around the room. Each question is focused on the specific animal challenge it is posted under, and there are 30 different zoo animals to solve from!

My kiddos love seeing which animals they are able to choose from and getting to check each animal off their recording sheet as they complete challenges. After students complete each paper, I check their work. I generally always set up my room transformations similarly so that students know what is expected of them anytime we do a special day like this. First, I put up zoo-themed posters on the wall and then academic challenges that go with each poster are set under them. Students understand that they need to go to each poster and complete the challenge that is under it. You can read about Zoo Day in this blog post.

animal classroom transformations zoo day example

My students love performing these activities in zoo-day accessories. I like purchasing a few items from Amazon, such as cute animal masks which make them feel more like they are at the zoo. Another idea is to have students make hats for themselves as they arrive. I have included two of them in this transformation! Since arrival can last up to 30 minutes, it is a perfect way to keep your students occupied and excited while they are waiting for the activities to begin. Kids who arrive late can have a friend help them make their hat or opt-out of making one entirely. Either way, every student has fun!

Dinosaur Classroom Transformation

animals classroom transformations dino day sign

Dinosaurs are always a huge hit when I bring them into my classroom. I love to do a dinosaur classroom transformation right before the end of the year for test prep. Kids enjoy seeing the dinosaur posters on the wall, completing each dinosaur challenge around the room, and getting to take a dinosaur egg home at the end of the day as well. Furthermore, students even get to dig for fossils at the end of each challenge which they glue to their recording sheet. You can read about Dinosaur Day in detail right here.

kids holding up dinosaur fossil recording sheets

This room transformation also comes with plenty of cute posters you can hang around the room. All you need to do is print them and put them up wherever they look best. Something I like to do is to put them outside of the door so kids see them as they walk in. It gets them extra excited for the activities that day! Challenges are set up under each of the posters which makes them easy and fun to spot for kids. You can also laminate them and use them the next year you do this transformation, and students are always willing to help take them down at the end of the day. This makes the cleanup extra quick and simple.

Safari Classroom Transformation

animal classroom transformations african safari day example with desks decorated and sign on board

Safari Day includes animals from across the African plain in your classroom! I give out safari hats and we pretend we are on a safari looking for African animals. Students “track down” the animals around the room. When they find each animal, they complete an academic challenge that is themed on the animal’s characteristics and then get checked by the teacher. If their work is correct, they get their recording sheet checked off and continue on their way to complete the whole safari. My kiddos love these animal classroom transformations and Safari Day is always especially exciting. I also love to give each of my students a stuffed monkey from Dollar Tree at the end. This is a reward for completing all their safari challenges throughout the day. Read about Safari Day in depth here.

kid with safari hat and monkey around neck

Additionally, decorations like posters and animal paw prints are easy to print and display in your room! Safari-themed posters should be placed around the room as decorations. Teachers can even hang them on the door to make students excited as they enter the room. Furthermore, station posters are placed above the challenges to help the students find and complete each activity. One of my favorite decorations is animal paw prints! You can cut out and place these along the floor leading up to your classroom to guide your students inside in an extra special way. The kids have so much fun even before the activities have begun.

Farmer Classroom Transformation

animal classroom transformations farm day example with desks decorated and sign on board

Farmer Day is a special way to teach your kids about farms and the animals that live on them. I like to hang up farm-themed posters and hang them around the room and on the door, occasionally, I’ll even buy blow-up farm animals to place around the room! Each student got to take one home at the end of the day.

Something that makes Farmer Day even more unique is how each animal has a place around the room. For example, I’ll first put the goose challenges set up at the pond (blue tablecloth). Second, I’ll put the sheep challenges on the grass (and so on). This makes it even more realistic for students as they travel around the room. Every kid loves this animal transformation and how they feel like they are actually working on a farm! At the end of the day, they get to take home a prize such as animal erasers or stickers. But, any small prize will work as a reward. Something simple like Class Dojo points or a homework pass is a great example. Learn more about Farmer Day here.

animal classroom transformations farm day example with desks decorated and cowboy hats on each desk

Every student works at their own pace, so it is important to be prepared for fast finishers. In this transformation, I have included enrichment activities that help students learn fun facts about farms. The first option is to have students scan QR codes taped around the room and copy the fun facts down on a sheet of paper. The next option is to print out and place posters with fun facts around the room; then, students travel around until they have collected each fact. Finally, the last option is for students who are working on an iPad. On Google Slides, they can click on each farm character to locate the fun facts that teach them more about farms. Each one of these options is a fantastic way to keep fast finishers busy and still focused academically!

Under the Sea Classroom Transformation

animal classroom transformations under the sea day example with banner on board that says ocean adventure

Under the Sea Day is one of my favorite animal classroom transformations. Students complete under the sea-themed activities that are placed under animals around the room in this undeniably fun transformation! Amazon is a great option to buy decorations like toy fish, under the sea banners, and more. Plenty of ocean animals are included in this transformation for you to print and hang up as well.

As the day progresses, kids find each sea animal and complete challenges at each one. Once they complete an activity, I mark their recording sheet before they can choose another challenge to work on. At the end of the day, I like to reward my kids with a toy fish hanging from the ceiling, but any sea-themed prize will do! This way, they have something to remind them of their fun day at school. Read about Under the Sea Day in this blog post.

animal classroom transformations under the sea day example with kids working and dolphin poster hanging from ceiling

Students can either work alone, in groups, or in pairs shortly after directions are given. For this transformation in particular, I like to have kids work in small groups to help them complete gluing and cutting animals during challenges. This classroom transformation differentiates from the others in that aspect. Kids cut out each animal and glue them on their worksheets as they complete each activity. I check on them from time to time. The more problems they complete, the more animals they get to cut and tape down, making them want to work on math skills even more!

Veterinarian Classroom Transformation

animal classroom transformations pet hospital day example with animal balloons on desks and pet hospital banner on board

Every kid loves animals, which makes Veterinarian Day so much fun for them to do. I decorate the room like a vet’s office. For example, veterinarian-themed decorations like posters, blow-up animals, and animal toys are a great addition to place around the classroom and set the mood for the day. Animal posters are included in this transformation. However, Amazon is also another great resource to find even more decorations.

I have also bought cute dog balloons and set them up around the room, and at the end of the day, each student got to bring one home. This gives kids the incentive to work hard and finish so they can earn one! By the end of the day, students have had so much fun learning while working in this animal-themed environment that they don’t even realize how much work they’ve done. Read about how I set up Veterinarian Day in my classroom here.

kids holding blow up dog balloons

Furthermore, folders are an essential part of staying organized during the day. Classroom transformations are centered around using a lot of paper. Thus, the floor can quickly get littered and students’ work can be lost. To solve this problem, each student should receive a folder to store their work neatly inside and keep excess paper off the floor. In this transformation, I have included cute animal-themed folder covers for you to use, and it makes kids feel like they are vets themselves as they walk around. Everyone should try this tip to make the day go even smoother!

Circus Classroom Transformation

animal classroom transformations circus day example with door decorated and sign that says welcome to the circus

The circus has arrived! In this Circus Day classroom transformation, students solve challenges around the room and learn more about the circus and its unique animals as they go. There are circus animals on the posters that go with each challenge and in the word problems as well! You can hang circus-themed posters on your door, walls, or anywhere else you like. Additionally, purchasing items from Amazon is an option. You can add decorations like circus tents, popcorn, or banners. This immersive environment makes learning so much fun for the kids and motivates them more to learn. Once they complete the activities for the day, they can also receive a small prize like a toy animal, popcorn, or a new pencil. You can find Circus Day instructions right here.

dog poster with academic challenge under it for students to complete

Clear instruction is a key part of having the day go smoothly. For example, to help kids understand what is asked of them during this classroom transformation, you can display instructions on your TV or whiteboard. Thus, they’ll know what to do as soon as they arrive. The best part about this is that you can actually grab these instructions for FREE along with 40 other room transformation slides! You can also edit the slides to say whatever you like. There are options for everyone!

In conclusion, I hope you enjoyed learning about these animal classroom transformations! Let me know which animal classroom transformation you plan to try out in your classroom. I’d love to hear from you!

Are you new to this idea and ready to try a classroom transformation? I’m here to help! Be sure to check out my additional posts with classroom transformation tips and also follow me on Instagram where I share even more resources and tips for teachers.

Want to add some fun decorations to your next room transformation? I’ve got you covered right here with my Classroom Transformation Decoration Lists!

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