For a few weeks now, we have had our class mascot as a living animal in a terrarium in the classroom.
Preliminary considerations:
Animals are a recurring topic in elementary school curricula. Of course, animals can be brought closer to the students as a teaching topic with the help of pictures and films. However, since the students' lives are already strongly influenced by the media, direct contact over a longer period of time is much more valuable.
They give the children a new approach to this special subject, which even goes beyond the demands of the curricula.
However, the students who benefit most are those who otherwise have no contact with animals, are somewhat fearful, or have little understanding of animals due to ignorance. Especially the reduction of feelings of disgust and unfounded fears is important.
It is certainly easier to establish an emotional relationship with an animal that is considered cute and beautiful according to our ideas - that is, as a rule, mammals with fur. However, once you have taken care of the turtle terrarium for several months or longer, you may change your mind and watch the reptiles excitedly for minutes as they devour a lettuce leaf or a strawberry.
Precisely because animals arouse emotions in many children, they are a great help in getting students excited about nature and what is going on in it.
We feed COCO and clean her terrarium. We have worked out a plan for this so that everyone gets a turn. In the classroom we can observe the animal well. We see when she eats and sleeps and moves and occupies herself in her habitat.
Class 4a
Phone: +49 3763 440894
Fax: +49 3763 501170
International Primary School Glauchau
Lindenstraße 28
08371 Glauchau
