This year I have two classroom pets- a fish and a turtle. My first year teaching was pet-free, last year we had a fish, and this year, we ended up with the fish and the turtle.
The kids earned the fish as a reward for good behavior/as part of our unit on capacity. We use the tank to measure cups, pints, quarts, and gallons, and in the end, if they are good, they earn the fish. At the end of the year, I raffled the fish off. It worked out quite nicely. Last year, I was a very dedicated fish owner while he was in the classroom. I cleaned his bowl out regularly, and took him home on long weekends. This year I have been a neglectful fish owner. I let him fend for himself over long weekends, and I let his bowl get filthy, to the point of embarrassment, before I clean it out.
On Friday, I decided that it was beyond time to clean out the bowl. I put the bowl in the sink to soak, and left the fish in a cup. I went, ran some copies, and did some other things around the school. I was gone for at least twenty minutes, maybe longer. I return to the room, and scrub out the bowl. I glance into the cup....no fish. I look all over the counter....no fish. I look on the floor....there is the fish, motionless. I go to pick him up and he flops. A good sign, but he was slimy and disgusting feeling. I get a paper towel, and scoop him up. I return him to his bowl, and he is a bit sluggish, but swimming. I spent all weekend hoping I didn't find him belly up today.
In the meantime, a family "donated" their turtle to our classroom so he would get the proper attention. He has been hibernating since Christmas. The mom was getting concerned that he was overdue to wake up from hibernation. So, she came in on Friday and made it "rain" in his cage. Apparently the moisture, helps rehydrate them and brings them out of hibernation. Well, I waited all day Friday, and he did not stir. So, when I left on Friday, I put some banana in his cage, and hoped that he was still alive. So, I also spent all weekend long hoping I did not have a dead turtle in my class.
Well, I am pleased to announce that the fish made it through the weekend, and was alive/well today. I am also please to announce that the turtle came out of hibernation. I walked into class today to see him munching on his banana. Whew!
Moral of the story: The kids love the class pets, but I am trying to decide if they are worth all the extra work/worry. I guess I will have to decide if I can juggle some extra critters, plus being a working mom next school year.
5 comments:
You don't get paid enough to deal with as many kids as you do, let alone with multiple animals -- but, I can see where the kids love it so much how worthwhile it could seem. I'd be torn -- but then again, I'm kinda lazy and we will never own a pet (plus I'm allergic to any pet that seems worth owning), so I'm a horrible person to chime in on this :-)
The turtle is probably made he did not wake up to fruit snacks.
Also I have 2 free rats if you want 4 classroom pets
I think the classroom pets are cute and I'm sure the kids love them. For the most part pets are pretty tolerant of some neglect.
I love your class pets, although if they were in my classroom, they'd probably have already died. I am good at taking care of dogs, but that's it! Dave's fish would die on my watch. Also, I had to laugh about the turtle waking up to eat a banana - just visualizing. Also, i am glad that the fish stuck to the paper towel so that you did not have to feel any squishiness.
Hysterical! Glad to hear everyone survived. When my sister was in elementary school, we watched the class duck one week over break. VERY stinky. I wouldn't recommend a duck as a class pet!
Post a Comment