Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Class pet ideas?

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 3
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous 1 2 3 template Next
  • #1

    Class pet ideas?

    Ok, so I have a class of kindergarten students. We are in a block with 2 other classes plus a parenting program (we run a combination of programs in said area).

    One of the classes has a class pet in the form of a rat and the kids LOVE her. They were obsessed with said rat the other day...even when the rat pooped on the teacher because it was stressed over having so many small children nearby. My mentor teacher (the actual class teacher) is tossing up the idea of a class pet for our kidlets.

    So the question is: what to get? So far, rabbits and guinea pigs are out due to space (and from experience, rabbits do not handle 30 children well) and hamsters are out due to being nocturnal. Were thinking of thing it in with a science unit (which for these children covers the idea that living things need food and water) and possibly a literacy unit.

    Any ideas?
    The best professors are mad scientists! -Zoom

    Now queen of USSR-Land...
    Tags: None
  • #2
    The kindergarten Khan is attending next year has a turtle. I am not sure how much work it is to actually keep a turtle though...(literacy idea: Franklin books)

    What about fish (Swimmy), frogs (Frog & Toad), or a tarantula (Anansi)? I think most mammals might have a stressful time with so many kids around, but I feel like reptiles/amphibians might not notice quite so much.

    Or pet rocks. Then each kid could have their own.
    https://www.facebook.com/authorpatriciacorrell/

    Comment

    • #3
      Well, you could always go with what you know works, a rat. (Literacy tie-in: Templeton of Chalotte's Web, The Rats of N.I.M.H., and lots and lots more)

      One thing to keep in mind is that when the school year is over, someone is going to have to take the class pet home, and care for it. Decide who will care for the pet when school is out of session before getting an animal. A vet well-check and vaccinations are also probably really good ideas for a pet that is going to be handled by lots of kidlets, and will inevitably nip or scratch occasionally. Who pays for the vet for a class pet?
      Last edited by Kittish; 01-31-2014, 10:49 PM.
      You're only delaying the inevitable, you run at your own expense. The repo man gets paid to chase you. ~Argabarga

      Comment

      • #4
        Our kindergarten had to be different. We had a class axolotl
        The Copyright Monster has made me tell you that my avatar is courtesy of the wonderful Alice XZ.And you don't want to annoy the Copyright Monster.

        Comment

        • #5
          Check with your local vets before choosing.

          Stick with an animal you know that YOU can care for. If you're not familiar with the species you're thinking of, check that your vet/vet techs are willing to provide advice; and get whatever resources they recommend.

          You might find a vet who has a pet that needs rehousing; and which the vet considers suitable for the role.

          We have a lot of lovely Australian animals which have become pet species: many of the birds (wrens and finches, not just the parrots and cockatoos and cockatiels and budgies). Some fish and aquatics; some amphibians. Many of the snakes. Most delightfully: we have DRAGONS!
          You can imagine the literary associations if you choose a dragon for a pet!

          If you choose a snake, get a python from a species too weak to 'tourniquet' a child.

          For a spider, I'd suggest a huntsman or an orb weaver rather than a tarantula, mostly because these are Australian spiders. Maybe a St Andrews' Cross, with the lovely and unique web design.

          Edit to add: a pet is not for one year, it's for the lifetime of the pet. If you get a parrot-species or subspecies bird, remember that some parrots have lives (in captivity) as long as ours.
          Seshat's self-help guide:
          1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
          2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
          3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
          4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

          "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.

          Comment

          • #6
            Reptiles are a bad idea unless you're ready for commitment. Lizards live for 10-15 years. Snakes for 15+ and turtles for god damn ever. Most common pet turtle species are going to live for 30 to 50 years. Birds for similar reasons. Some parrots will outlive you.

            If you don't want to go with rats or mice, go with gerbils. They're not nocturnal and are very social little bastards. They're tame and have a lot of energy to burn and don't scare easy so they'll endure being mobbed by children better than hamsters which can nip.

            They live around 3 years so they're not going to still be in the class room after you retire either. Pretty low maintenance too.

            Rats are still pretty awesome though.

            My class had a god damn chicken when I was in grade one. Miserable, evil creatures. >.>

            Comment

            • #7
              Quoth Kit-Ginevra View Post
              Our kindergarten had to be different. We had a class axolotl
              My dad suggested one of those .

              Quoth Gravekeeper View Post
              If you don't want to go with rats or mice, go with gerbils. They're not nocturnal and are very social little bastards. They're tame and have a lot of energy to burn and don't scare easy so they'll endure being mobbed by children better than hamsters which can nip.
              Not sure that gerbils are sold in Australia-can anyone confirm? (hamsters yes, mice yes, rats yes)

              My class had a god damn chicken when I was in grade one. Miserable, evil creatures. >.>
              The school does have a couple of chickens somewhere, but they're used by the parenting program on-site. (Like a parenting class, but non-judgemental and focuses more on things like bonding, social skills, language skills etc.)

              I was tossing up the idea of a couple of chickens for the class to have as we have an outside area that's easily accessible by my classroom.

              As for pets for ME, I'm considering getting a couple of mice.
              The best professors are mad scientists! -Zoom

              Now queen of USSR-Land...

              Comment

              • #8
                Quoth fireheart View Post
                Not sure that gerbils are sold in Australia-can anyone confirm? (hamsters yes, mice yes, rats yes)
                Oh, Australia? Looks like gerbils and hamsters are banned imports due to ecosystem concerns. No chinchillas either. Might wanna just go with a rat after all. Man, no ferrets either. Looks like you're restricted to native species. Even rabbits have to be from New Zealand.


                Quoth fireheart View Post
                The school does have a couple of chickens somewhere, but they're used by the parenting program on-site. (Like a parenting class, but non-judgemental and focuses more on things like bonding, social skills, language skills etc.)
                We had a box of chicks in the class room that we had to raise to chicken hood. I don't recall their ultimate fate but they all vanished save one. I assume they moved on to McNugget hood.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Quoth Gravekeeper View Post
                  Oh, Australia? Looks like gerbils and hamsters are banned imports due to ecosystem concerns. No chinchillas either. Might wanna just go with a rat after all. Man, no ferrets either. Looks like you're restricted to native species. Even rabbits have to be from New Zealand.
                  I think it's a case of YMMV per state. My state has no problem with the keeping of rabbits or ferrets, but one state does not.


                  We had a box of chicks in the class room that we had to raise to chicken hood. I don't recall their ultimate fate but they all vanished save one. I assume they moved on to McNugget hood.
                  McNugget Hood.

                  ETA: I remember in Grade 1 that my class had silkworms. We kept nicking the cocoons (post-emergent) and using them like candle flames
                  Last edited by fireheart; 02-01-2014, 07:11 AM.
                  The best professors are mad scientists! -Zoom

                  Now queen of USSR-Land...

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Victoria is also ferret-okay, but not Queensland.

                    Ferrets, however, require a lot of attention/human contact; and play space.
                    Seshat's self-help guide:
                    1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
                    2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
                    3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
                    4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

                    "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Quoth Seshat View Post
                      Victoria is also ferret-okay, but not Queensland.

                      Ferrets, however, require a lot of attention/human contact; and play space.
                      Yeah a ferret is kind of going out of the list.

                      A rat or mouse is looking to be the most likely, although I"m a little squeamish of having two rats since hearing about how my SO's sisters rats ate each other O.o
                      (And yes we'd be getting two rats of the same sex, not two rats of the opposite sex-there's having a class pet to teach the kids about science and possible literacy (I was thinking more pet care and vocab in this instance) and there's teaching 5-year-olds about how babies are made )

                      To clarify on the literacy block position, what my mentor teacher and I are planning on doing (and is the reason why I'm staying on in the classroom 2-3 days a week for the rest of the term) is finding out the kids interests and then theming our work around that. So for instance, say a kid's interest is in dogs. We can broaden that to pet care, read a book about caring for pets, take care of a pet, learn words about animals and animal care and then maybe link that to a block on community figures. (We're planning on doing a block for Term 2 on people in the community ie fireman, policemen etc. because one of our kids LOVES firetrucks and police cars)

                      So using the interest on dogs, our blocks might look something like this:

                      English/Literacy: reading books about pets, writing about pets, talking about pets using oral language starters, spelling words that are themed around animals.
                      Maths: Counting the number of animals our class has, counting the number of school animals, measuring the class pets etc.
                      Science: needs of the animal.
                      History: the role of the pet in your family (if you have one)
                      Geography: pets in your area.
                      Second Language/Arts/PE: Specialist subjects so not covered.
                      Last edited by fireheart; 02-01-2014, 10:56 AM.
                      The best professors are mad scientists! -Zoom

                      Now queen of USSR-Land...

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Rats are pretty easy to deal with. If you get two males, try to get brothers as they're generally less likely to fight. Females are more easygoing about unrelated others and generally a bit active and smarter. Now the cons of each...while both genders mark with pee, males do it much more. Females are a bit more likely to nip.
                        "English is the result of Norman men-at-arms attempting to pick up Saxon barmaids and is no more legitimate than any of the other results."
                        - H. Beam Piper

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          If you get a big tortoise,you'll be able to give the whole class rides on it.And their kids.And their kids'kids.And their kids'grandkids.And their grandkids'grandkids.....

                          The Copyright Monster has made me tell you that my avatar is courtesy of the wonderful Alice XZ.And you don't want to annoy the Copyright Monster.

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            We had a (de-glanded 3 legged) skunk, a pair of guinea pigs and a tropic fish tank in different grades at school, and the fish were a pain as far getting care on holidays, but the others did really well, so I wouldn't rule out mammals entirely. I second getting a vet opinion on pet choice, they would know what is available in your area and what type of animal could handle the 'love' little kids lavish on pets.
                            Pain and suffering are inevitable...misery is optional.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Quoth Kit-Ginevra View Post
                              If you get a big tortoise,you'll be able to give the whole class rides on it.And their kids.And their kids'kids.And their kids'grandkids.And their grandkids'grandkids.....
                              Yeah, but then you're just leaving behind a problem for some poor vault dweller to deal with down the road. ;p

                              Comment

                              Previous 1 2 3 template Next
                              Working...
                              X