Class Pets Made Easy! (Not the Real Kind)

Happy New Year! I had a great break and I hope you did, too! Or, maybe, you’re still enjoying one more weekend of relaxation. Lucky you! As we get back into the groove with our students, this is an opportune time to introduce a class pet!

And as the title of this post says, not the real kind. I feel there are two good times to introduce a class pet. One is about 2-3 weeks into school, after students have caught on to routines and procedures. The other is after the long holiday break. You may possibly have to start after Thanksgiving break, dependent upon the number of students you have in your class. Check your school calendar to be certain.

Usually I opt for after break because students need a new fun activity that will last the rest of the year. The other reason is I have taught Kindergarten in the past, and they are just not ready for it at the beginning of the year.

Planning for a Class Pet

The planning for this is minimal and I’m going to help you out with all the details right here. First, you have to select your pet. I have seen many teachers choose a stuffed animal for a pet, but I do not. Mostly because of the germs. I want something easy to clean and easy to replace if it doesn’t come back or gets destroyed. My solution: A rubber duck.

A rubber duck is small and easy to sanitize between students. Also, they are not pricey and easy to find a replacement. I actually purchase more than one duck at a time, so I am prepared in case of disaster!

Next, I gather the rest of my supplies. A small bag or backpack to keep the pet and his/her supplies in. A blank notebook for students to write and illustrate their adventures with the duck. I, also, place in the bag a laminated copy of duck songs and activities that I put together. Last, I find 3-4 books to include in the bag about ducks. A few I have selected in the past are Duck on a Bike by David Shannon, 10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle, and National Geographic Kids: Ducklings by Marfe Ferguson Delano.

After that, I type up an introduction letter for our class pet and the instructions for what to do when the duck comes home. This letter goes home in the students’ daily folder for their parents. I, also, let parents know about it on Remind (or use whatever communication app you use). I have included a link to this letter below for use in your classroom!

Finally, it’s time to introduce the pet to your class. I usually do this on a Friday, so the duck can go home for the first time that day. And I choose a responsible and reliable student as the first one.

Introducing Your Class Pet

During morning meeting, I start by telling the students I have someone new to introduce to the class. Then, I pull out the duck and tell them that the duck is going to be our class pet. Everyone will get a chance to take the duck home for a weekend and share about their adventures with the duck the next week. We discuss how to take care of the duck and everything else that will be in the bag. I, also, explain about the notebook and that they can include real photos with the duck in it along with their writing. At the end of this discussion we come up with names for the duck and vote on them. The duck has had some creative names in the past, including Shark and Sophia!

To keep track of who has the duck, I write their name on my planner. Each student gets the duck for one weekend and I don’t send the duck home over Spring Break. In the past, I have preplanned who the duck will go home with each week and sent home a calendar for students to know when their week is, but I have stopped doing this because of absences. I had to make too many changes to the original calendar.

Benefits of Having a Class Pet

The benefits of having a class pet are many! One is promoting classroom community and building relationships between students. When students share the ownership of the class pet it really brings them closer together when they talk about what they did with the duck or what they want to do with the duck when it’s their turn. Read more about why it’s important to build relationships with your students in my post “Building a Caring Classroom Community: How and Why Building Relationships is Important”.

Another benefit is students are practicing their writing skills. The students are required to write in complete sentences in the class pet notebook about their weekend adventures.

Furthermore, students work on their speaking skills when they report to the class about their weekend adventures. I find even the more timid students are excited to share with the class! I think having the notebook helps because they can read from it and show the pictures they included.

Students are, also, practicing their reading skills by reading the books that are sent home in the bag. Other benefits include spending positive quality time with family members, learning facts about real ducks, and responsibility.

In Closing

With the ease of planning and the plethora of benefits, the addition of a class pet is a must! Note that I would only do this activitiy with lower elementary students, think grades kindergarten-2. Students in upper elementary will not care about this activity or find it fun.

I hope your first week back went smoothly or does go smoothly as students are welcomed back into classrooms! And I hope you will consider adding a class pet to your class for the remainder of the year. It’s enjoyable for students and you’ll probably get some laughs out of it, too!