Bringing a pet into your classroom is a great way to inspire learning and teach responsibility.  There are many options when it comes to choosing a pet, and having information on each of them can make your decision easier.  You may consider fish, for example.  Adding an aquarium to your classroom is a fun and easy way to introduce your students to pet care and other important  life lessons.

 

classroom aquarium There are several educational opportunities that present themselves with an aquarium in the classroom.  It’s a great jump start to teaching your kids about the food chain or the water and nitrogen cycles.  And classes can discuss what constitutes a healthy marine environment while having students record water temperature and PH levels.  Teachers can even introduce fish anatomy and biology using their pet as a model – Explain how fish are able to swim so well and breathe underwater.

 

Before you get your fish, make sure you’ve got an appropriate aquarium picked out.  It’s up to you to decide on the size, shape, and even material of your aquarium, but having one with a filtration and ventilation system can make maintenance a little easier.  Placing gravel at the base of your aquarium will also help with the water filtration process.

 

There are plenty of accessories including plants and decorative models that can be placed in the aquarium to make it a fun and spirited space.  You can let your students help you pick out some of these objects to make the aquarium their own. However, depending on the type of fish you decide on, you may need to make room for added items like a water heater or a gravel vacuum.

 

When you finally get your habitat set up and your fish picked out, you’ll have daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance to adhere to.  Your kids will be able to do things like feed the fish and check the water temperature daily, while they may need assistance once a week changing 10% of the water and checking PH and ammonia levels.  Once a month, they’ll be able to assist you in a 25% water change, scrubbing the tank, and cleaning any plastic decorations.

 

By taking part in the necessary upkeep of their aquarium, kids will learn the importance of responsibility and that their fish depend on them to stay healthy and happy.  They’ll have fun working as a team and watching their fish grow.  Pets in the Classroom will help you get started with all the funds and information you need, just fill out one of our applications and tell us a little about yourself, your students, and your classroom.

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