Your classroom pet can aid you in teaching a variety of subjects, and science is definitely an appropriate subject to incorporate your pet into!  Pets in the Classroom has a few suggestions on how to incorporate your pet into your science lessons.

Animals are an integral part of science, and your pet can easily be included in lesson plans.  You can use a photo of your pet to label anatomy, study its habitat, and learn about its needs.  Whether you teach kindergarten or the 6^th grade, your students can benefit from the learning opportunity that classroom pets bring.  Here are a few ideas:

• Use a photo or draw a picture of your classroom pet and have your students label the anatomy.
• Study the meaning of “habitat.”  List different categories of habitats (ocean, forest, jungle, desert, etc) and find which category your pet would fit into.
• Discuss the native habitat of your pet if it was not domesticated and its classroom habitat.  Compare and contrast.
• Separate animals into groups (using your pet as one of the animals) based on their physical characteristics.
• Study what your pet needs to survive – diet, exercise requirements, environment, and climate.
• Make a scientific study of your pet.  Observe its habits and behavior patterns.

There are just a few suggestions on how to incorporate a classroom pet into your science lesson.  For more lesson plan ideas as well as printable worksheets, visit http://www.classpetcentral.com/teachers/lesson_plans.

The Pet Care Trust is pleased to announce that Brent Weinmann, President and CEO of Vitakraft Sunseed, Inc., has been appointed as President of the Pet Care Trust, a non-profit organization that promotes public understanding regarding the value of and right to enjoy companion animals, enhances knowledge about companion animals through research and education, and promotes professionalism among members of the companion animal community.

Weinmann’ expertise in the pet industry and philanthropic work will be an asset to his leadership role. In addition to being President and CEO of Vitakraft Sunseed, Inc., a manufacturer of pet food and treats, Weinmann is on the board of American Pet Products Association, and has held seats on the boards of Wood Lane industries and Wood County Workforce Policy Board.  He has been on the board of the Pet Care Trust since 2002.

“Brent Weinmann has a long track record of service to the Pet Care Trust as a member of the Board of Trustees,” said Steven King, Executive Director of the Pet Care Trust. “His leadership skills, creativity and devotion to the Trust’s mission will be in evidence even more during his term as president.”

Weinmann will be taking the place of Lew Sutton who has served as the President of the Pet Care Trust for the past 9 years.   “Lew Sutton has helped transform the Pet Care Trust into a vital contributor to a better understanding of the importance of pets in our daily lives,” said Steven King. “Under his leadership, the Trust first created the Fish in the Classroom program, then Pets in the Classroom, which is having a profound impact on school age children throughout the country.”

Sutton’s leadership has left a lasting impact at the Pet Care Trust, an impact that Brent Weinmann plans to expand on in his own presidency.

“I am looking forward to continuing in the strong direction that Lew Sutton provided for 9 years as the President of the Pet Care Trust,” said Weinmann. “I plan to focus on our signature program, Pets in the Classroom. Working with teachers to help give them an opportunity to make pets part of the learning process is exciting.  The Trust has received hundreds of thank you letters, pictures and stories of how student engagement and stimulation increases when animals are part of the curriculum.  Since the beginning of the program the PCT has authorized over  6000 grants to teachers across the country.  This has the potential of enriching the education and lives of nearly 180,000 students.”

For more information on the Pet Care Trust, visit www.PetsintheClassroom.org/about.

The end of the school year is always a hectic time in the classroom with parties and assemblies on the calendar, grading and report cards to prepare, and the rising energy level of students to contend with. In the midst of all that’s going on, don’t forget to make special arrangements for your classroom pet’s summer vacation.

Probably the best choice for your classroom pet is to stay with the teacher, as you know that you will provide excellent, consistent care for the pet throughout the summer. However, this isn’t always possible, or there may be times when a teacher has their own summer plans and will need someone to care for the pet.

By this point in the year, you have familiarized with your pet’s behaviors, habitat, food and water requirements, exercise requirements and level of interaction with people. Hopefully you have created a care log book for your classroom pet that includes feeding and cleaning instructions, veterinarian information and observations on behavior. This can be a valuable tool when a student’s family or someone else is caring for your classroom pet during the summer months.

Try not to disrupt your pet too much by moving it from home to home throughout the summer. Pets can be sensitive to changes in environment and routine, and it’s best to keep things as consistent as possible. When you consider all of the love and positive things your classroom pet brings throughout the school year, take the time to plan for the best possible care for your classroom pet’s summer vacation.

If you have a snake in your classroom, here are some facts about shedding of the skin, or ecdysis.  All reptiles shed their skin, and snakes can shed their skin as much as once per month.  Snakes shed in one big piece from nose to tail over the course of 7 to 14 days.  Shedding is necessary for growth in reptiles and snakes and can be affected by your care of the snake and its nutrition.

If you notice your classroom snake’s skin becoming dull, eyes turning cloudy or “bluish” and an increase in nervous behavior, your snake is about to shed.  After 3-4 days the eyes should become clear again and you’ll want to make sure your snake has various surfaces like rocks or branches to rub against.  During the shedding period the snake should not be handled and probably will not want to eat.  Once the skin is completely shed, remove it from the enclosure and check to be sure it was a complete shed, including eye caps!

There are many causes for an incomplete shed, which can be diagnosed by a reptile veterinarian.  One common cause of an improper shed is humidity levels in the enclosure.  Of course, optimal humidity levels vary depending on different types of snakes, but most require 50 to 70% in their environment.  Improper nutrition can also be a culprit in an incomplete shed, as can skin conditions, trauma or too much handling.  A reptile veterinarian or pet professional can help you determine the best conditions in which to keep your snake so that it can shed properly.

This is an amazing process to observe in the classroom, and a great learning experience for your students.

For Immediate Release:

Pets in the Classroom Program Sets Goal of Reaching 1 Million Children

Bel Air, Maryland – April 20, 2011

The Pet Care Trust announced that they have targeted reaching 1 million children in 30,000 classrooms across North America through their popular Pets in the Classroom grants program.  The program, established by the Pet Care Trust in 2009, provides grants of $100-$150 to purchase or adopt a new pet and required equipment or $50 to support existing classroom pets.

Steve King, Executive Director of the Pet Care Trust, says the program has had a powerful impact in elementary school classrooms throughout North America. In just one year the program has awarded grants to nearly 3,000 classrooms, giving up to 90,000 kids the opportunity to interact with a pet every day.  “The feedback we are receiving from teachers is overwhelmingly positive,” King says.  “At a time when school budgets are being slashed nationwide, Pets in the Classroom allows teachers to provide valuable enrichment activities through a classroom pet of their choosing.”

Sixth grade teacher Susan Dougherty-Fitzpatrick expressed her appreciation for the program, explaining, “This year, our entire fifth grade of over 150 students was allowed to learn about tree frogs and hermit crabs in our unit, ‘Systems and Survival’. Without your help and support, we would not have been able to undertake such a project and cannot thank you enough.”

The Pets in the Classroom program benefits students by teaching them responsible, long-term pet care at an early age and providing the psychological and developmental benefits associated with the human-animal bond.  Studies have shown that caring for pets has a positive effect on children, improving school attendance and teaching children responsibility, as well as encouraging nurturing and building self esteem.  Pets in the Classroom grant recipients confirm that having a classroom pet has a big impact on their students. “My students are learning how to be responsible care takers and the best of all, my very shy student and English language learners are talking now!” says Mrs. Johnson, a first grade teacher from Kentucky.

In the first year, approximately one-third of the funding has gone to freshwater aquariums. Another one-third has funded small animals, such as guinea pigs, rabbits and hamsters. Reptiles, amphibians and birds comprise the final one-third, with snakes, lizards, turtles and frogs most popular.

For more information, please visit www.petsintheclassroom.org and view a video documenting the impact of the Pets in the Classroom program at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGtQdRUyWrI.

As teachers, you have the unique opportunity of being a human role model when it comes to your classroom pet.  This includes consistently providing required care for your classroom pet, establishing clear rules for humane treatment of your classroom pet and diligently supervising your students in their interactions with the pet.

As a teacher with a pet in the classroom, you have the ability to show students how to properly care for pets and to develop skills that will last a lifetime.  You can also play a role in offering your students all of the benefits that come along with a classroom pet – increased self esteem, learning responsibility and developing stronger social skills.

Participating in the daily care of a classroom pet teaches children responsibility, and with you as a role model you can be sure your students will leave your classroom with a strong commitment to caring for any pet. Helping to take care of a pet gives a child a sense of pride and accomplishment, especially if the animal is able to return the affection.  In fact, studies conducted by the Waltham Centre have shown that children with pets have higher levels of self-esteem than those without pets.  Many types of classroom pets love human contact and can become a child’s best buddy. Kids can even develop strong human animal bonds with non-responsive animals such as fish or turtles. These relationships help to strengthen a child’s social skills, giving them the potential to do better in a school setting.

Not sure what type of pet to obtain for your classroom?  Researching various types of classroom pets makes a great research project for your students.  You can divide your students into project groups and assign each group a potential classroom pet to research – small mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians.  Have each group research the various types of pets within their classification that might be appropriate pets, and allow them to either present the class with options, or choose one “finalist” that they recommend.

Each project should include general information on the pet (origins, size, habits, etc.), cost, habitat description, basic care for the animal, handling and training information, and how the group decided on the winner.  Projects could include an informative poster or an organized presentation to the class.  Each group could also submit a written summary, and all summaries could be incorporated into one information booklet.

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.  Your students will find out things they didn’t know about all of the animals researched, and the classroom will have enough shared information to make a group decision on which pet would be best for your classroom.

Once the presentations are completed, plan for a classroom vote to choose your new classroom pet!

Having a pet in the classroom can inspire your students to reach out to pets that are less fortunate. This spring, consider planning a class project to collect donations of items on your local animal shelter’s wish list. Spring is typically the time when shelters are fuller, with puppies and kittens being brought in daily. Most shelters rely on donations from the community to keep their temporary residents comfy, cozy and well-fed.

Contact your local shelter to find out what items they would like to have donated. These could include pet food, towels and blankets, kitty litter, pet toys, cleaning supplies and office supplies. Get the class involved with planning the donation drive in your school. Students can write up bulletins for the school newsletter and school announcements, as well as advertising the drive through creative posters and flyers. Students can even plan to visit other classrooms to explain the importance of the collection and talk a little about responsible pet ownership.

Re-use cardboard boxes to create eye-catching donation centers to place throughout the school. Once your collection period has reached the end, contact the shelter to arrange for items to be picked up, or to deliver the items to the shelter. Many shelters have an outreach or education program, and would be happy to send a representative to your class. This spring, share your classroom’s love of their pet with homeless pets in your community.

 Are you thinking of applying for a Pets in the Classroom grant to set up a classroom aquarium?  Not sure where to start?  Here are some things to consider when choosing fish for your first aquarium.

One of the most important components of your aquarium is the water.  You will want to select fish that will stay healthy in your type of tap water.  When you go to purchase your equipment, you can take a sample of tap water with you to be tested.  Based on the pH and hardness or softness of the water, your aquarium professional will be able to recommend the correct water conditioners and fish that will tend to do well in your water.

You’ll want to choose fish that do well on prepared fish foods that are available from your pet supplier.  You can always supplement fish food with foods like freeze-dried brine shrimp or bloodworms as recommended, but for the most part you want fish that don’t need specialized feeding.

Choose hardy fish for your aquarium.  Some fish are better than others at adapting to conditions that might vary from day to day – possible over or under feeding, imperfect water changes, temperature fluctuations.  As you become more experienced and the students perfect the aquarium care routine, hardy fish will be able to handle the possible effects on their living conditions.

There are a wide variety of commercially raised fish available from pet and aquarium supply retailers that will do well in a beginner’s aquarium.  Get advice on which fish can live peacefully together and share similar environmental conditions, as well as which fish can best adapt to your classroom with success.

Now do you feel a little more prepared to bring fish into your classroom?  Apply for the Pets in the Classroom Grant today!

Many teachers wonder about the benefits of adding a pet to their classroom – will it really stimulate learning and provide emotional and developmental benefits?  The subject of children’s bond with pets has been studied repeatedly over the last fifty years, in an effort to learn more about this special relationship.

To the casual observer it might seem obvious that children walking into a classroom would be excited by and gravitate to a live creature.  Children are naturally curious, and seeing something new is exciting.  But studies have shown that the bond between children and pets goes far beyond curiosity.  In a 1998 study of the emotional bond between children and pets, Sandra L. Triebenbacher concluded that “The benefits of pet ownership and attachment to animals include minimizing emotional trauma, helping to alleviate some emotional problems as well as fear and loneliness, to lessen anxiety during times of stress, to promote good mental and physical health for both children and adults, and provide noncontingent unconditional love and opportunities for affection.”

Triebenbacher found that children conveyed their love to animals through touch and through care-giving responsibilities such as feeding.   In his 1995 paper on classroom animals, Craig Naherniak concluded, “If there is one thing that is most important for children to realize, it is that they share a world with other beings who have needs similar but not identical to theirs.  This understanding helps to develop the child’s confidence, empathy and respect for others.”  Having a pet in the classroom allows teachers to provide children with ways to develop these valuable skills.

For more information on how teachers can provide thier students with the opportunity to develop through a classroom pet, visit www.PetsintheClassroom.org.