I brought my hermit crabs in yesterday - their summer vacation, too, was at an end. The children are fascinated, and want to learn all about them. So far, I have demonstrated how to hold a hermit crab (to avoid pinching and to keep everyone safe) and we've examined the different parts of the animal. We will continue to learn a lot more about hermit crabs, and will take turns being the caretakers of Shelly and Sandy. By the way, these names are new - we decided on them just this morning. Shelly and Sandy narrowly beat out Pinchy and Rocky as perfect names for these little creatures.
There are many positive aspects to having animals in the classroom, including instilling a sense of responsibility and respect for life. Learning naturally occurs and many areas of curriculum can be enhanced, as we learn science (what does a hermit crab eat? Can you tell the difference between a male and female?), geography (where do they come from?) and language arts (how can I describe the hermit crab?) Also, I feel that having a pet in the classroom creates a more homelike atmosphere. As we continue to learn and care for these little creatures, I am hoping that our students will be able to share what they've learned with the other children of the school.
3 comments:
The best teacher I ever knew, Mr. Babb, always had some kind of creature in his classroom for the children to learn about and help take care of.
I can't remember ever having a class pet when I was a kid - isn't that odd? I think it is so important, for so many reasons.
I dont' ever remember having one, either.
The Bryant Kindergartens had a rabbit named Bun-Bun that rotated among the classrooms last year.
I will never forget how excited Maddy's class was when Bun-Bun came. The next time I was in the classroom, at least five kids all came runing up to tell me about (him? her?).
I've never seen a hermit crab up close, I look forward to seeing them myself.
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