This blog focuses on pets in the classroom. My purpose for having pets in a classroom would be to further students knowledge of living, breathing animals. By having a pet in your classroom, the students will be able to observe and interact with the pet. I can see a full range of possibilities in all areas of curriculum besides science that would be beneficial for having a pet in the classroom.
One idea I had was to measure and weigh the pet on the pet's arrival day and then take measurements throughout the year. The students could use their science and math skills to observe growth and graph the growth of their pet.
In writing, the students could journal about their classroom pet. The students could write stories about their pet.
The classroom pet would spark the student's curiosity and the students would have to be responsible for the pet's health and wellness.
I read many blogs about classroom pets. There are also a lot of websites that will give you a lot of information about a classroom pet. Here are a few things I found throughout different blogs and websites that I found helpful when considering a pet for your classroom.
- There are grants available to purchase and fund a pet. Check with your local school for advice on this.
- Check to make sure no student has an allergy to a certain pet.
- How will you handle the death of a pet with your students?
- Have your students blog about your pet.
- Lizards are great classroom pets
- Make sure to check with your administrators before you purchase a pet for your clasroom.
- Turtles are the number one pet.
- Rats are very popular. Yes, they can be affectionate!
- Ant farms, make sure not to purchase queen or soldier ants.
- Hermit crabs are also fun to have.
- Snakes are not as popular. Mostly because the teacher does not like snakes as much as the students!
I can see an unlimitless possibilities to having pets in your classroom.
I think your ideas for a classroom pet are well rounded. They include safety, class interest, what works/doesn’t work, and checking with your administrators. I think having a classroom pet is a great idea! I like that you mention the need of a purpose behind the activity. If no purpose is stated or carried out, I honestly feel like no matter how fun the activity is, the activity would be just a waste of time. It would be a waste of time in terms of science content not being learned.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of a classroom pet and you blog lists many advantages of having one. The blog mentions lizards, hermit crabs, and turtles are great pets and I agree. In the past hamsters, gerbils, and rabbits were pets that I have seen in a class room but with the growing number of allergies, these do not seem like good options anymore. A fish tank is another possibility, but you would be limited in the activities you could use the pet in.
ReplyDeleteI really like this idea and to be honest what kids wouldn't like to see a classroom pet within their class?
ReplyDeleteI find the ideas and uses for your classroom pet to be very neat and useful for all sorts of curriculum (as you posted).
What a fun idea! I'm sure students would love a classroom pet and I think there are tons of possibilities. I liked that you mentioned having student measure the pet and keep track of changes. Not only could the students study the type of animal and write about the animal, I think a classroom pet also teaches some responsibility to students. Other science related things that come to mind are learning about the pet's habitat and what type of food it needs.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea! Not only does it keep the students invested in science, it incorporates other content areas, which is awesome! I firmly believe that this would give students an opportunity to be involved and also work on their classroom community by having a common interest and working on the information together with the class pet. This also reminds me of the classes that I had that had pets and what an attribute they were to the class and our learning experience! Great post!
ReplyDeleteThere are multiple benefits to having a classroom pet. Responsibility and accountability are the first two that come to my mind. Most practicum classrooms I've spent time in have a pet and the students take a lot of pride in caring for the pet. I love your idea of measuring, weighing, and keeping data on the growth of the pet. Everything should have a purpose and if you take time out of your teaching/learning time to have a pet you should make sure to create learning opportunities that include it.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I thought about while reading your post was what if at the beginning of the year you have a list of possible classroom pets. The students could then vote on which pet they would like to have in the classroom. I think that would be a great idea because then the class I feel would have a stronger connection to the pet because they got to decide what they wanted to have in their classroom. I like how you tied in other content areas that could be focused on just by having a classroom pet. I feel like you see more classroom pets in the younger grades, I wonder why? I think regardless of the students age, you should always have some sort of pet in the classroom. I just think it is such a great way to build classroom community and it allows the students to communicate to their peers on something they are passionate about.
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