Lesson Tutor: Learning to sign ASL Animals

 American Sign Language Series II Lesson 1: Forest Animals
By Elaine Ernst Schneider

deer
squirrel
porcupine
bear
fox
eagle
wolf
raccoon
owl
chipmunk
bird
duck

ASL Series II Lesson 1: Wold Animals of the Forest

Signs Description of Sign Actions
bear Cross your arms over your chest (left over right) With hands almost at the opposite shoulders, make a scratching motion with your all of your fingers.
bird Place the right “G” hand at the right side of the mouth with fingers pointing forward, as if to create a bird’s beak. Open and close the finger and thumb once or twice to emulate the movement of a bird’s beak.
chipmunk Touch the thumbs of “C” hands to the cheek, moving both hands outwards. Hint: The motion highlights the fact that chipmunks have fat cheeks.
deer Place the thumbs of open hands, palms forward, at the temples to show the buck’s horns.
duck Create the “duck” sign by adding one finger to the “bird” sign (see “bird” word description). This emphasizes the flat beak of the duck.
eagle Gently place the back of an “X” hand against the lips. Note: This illustrates the eagle’s crooked beak.
fox Lightly touch the forefinger of a right “F” hand to the nose.
owl Rotate “O” hands over the eyes, moving back and forth twice.
porcupine Place the palm of an open right hand on the knuckles of a left “S” hand. Then roll the right hand across the back of the left hand, illustrating the porcupine’s prickly needles.
raccoon Use “R” hands to draw imaginary circles under the eyes where the raccoon’s black markings are. Move hands from the nose to the sides.
squirrel Curve the first and second fingers of “V” hands and then touch palms twice.
wolf Hold a right curved hand in front of the nose as if you are about to grab it. Then move the hand outward and forward, closing the fingers into an “and” sign. The sign should move forward about the length of a wolf’s nose.

Continue to Lesson 2: Farm Animals – click here

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