To teach the two major categories of Animals and their Basic Needs I do the following gestures...

Vertebrates (straight forearm)
Invertebrates (wiggle my arm back and forth)

Food (act like I'm eating a burger with eating noices)
Oxygen (take a deep breath)
Water (act like I'm drinking a glass of water with gulping noise)
Protection from predators (place my arms over my head and wrap my leg around my other leg while screaming)