The Pets in the Classroom Program, a teacher grants program, helps enhance curriculum through children's natural love for animals.

1. Pets in the Classroom Program Enhances Curriculum through
Children’s Natural Love for Animals
By Pets in the Classroom
Having a classroom pet fosters skills like responsibility, nurturing and
teamwork. Children develop a sense of respect for living creatures
and a connection to the natural world. But, a classroom pet also
provides countless ways to enhance curriculum in creative ways.
Teachers have told Pets in the Classroom that they are amazed at how
their students’ interactions with their classroom pet inspire learning
and creativity across numerous disciplines. With a little brainstorming
and student input, teachers can transform their students’ enthusiasm
for the classroom pet into enthusiasm for science, language arts, math
and fine arts.
Science is probably the first subject that comes to mind when thinking
of integrating your classroom pet into the curriculum. Students can use the basic principles of
science to observe, measure and record information about the classroom pet. Students can
measure the pet’s size and weight, track growth, and record behavior patterns. Learning units
of measurement can be fun when the class guinea pig is measured in centimeters and inches,
and weight converted from pounds to ounces. Research your pet’s natural habitat, adaptation
and diet, as well as how your pet grows and develops. What features are unique to reptiles,
amphibians or fish? How does a baby bird develop in the egg and what happens after it
hatches? The possibilities are endless.
Taking your students on a trip to the library is a great way to spark an interest in reading. You’ll
find a wide variety of books - fiction and non-fiction- based on your classroom pet for students
to take home and share with their family. They’ll get an early start on doing research and have
fun finding new stories of animals just like theirs. If you haven’t selected your classroom pet
yet, researching the various possibilities makes a wonderful classroom project that all of the
students can contribute to. A classroom pet research project incorporates several different
valuable learning skills, such as working within a group, researching, analysis of data and coming
to a conclusion, as well as writing and creative skills. Students can also enhance their
presentation skills by presenting their project to the classroom.
Teachers find that students love to write about their new “friend”, the classroom pet. Harness
your students’ fascination with your pet by having them write their own stories about the pet.
Have them tell how they’d spend a day out with their new friend, or write daily journal entries
about its life in the classroom. Stories about your classroom pet can be compiled into a special

2. book to be shared with family and other classrooms. Weekly vocabulary lists can include words
that pertain to your pet.
Creativity can blossom through art as well. Students love to express their feelings for classroom
pets through art. Try having them create an image with markers or crayons and another with
paint. Experimenting with different materials is a great way to get your students familiar with
art. Another great creative project is to have your students create collages of pictures and facts
about their animal. This is a great way for them to express themselves while having fun
incorporating information about their new friend.
These are just a few of the ways a classroom pet can enhance the curriculum and inspire
learning through a child’s special bond with an animal.