Are you trying to figure out what kind of classroom pet to get?  Have your students help you!  A research project is a great way to get your students involved and to make an educated decision on what type of pet to get.

One way to do this is to divide your students into project groups and assign each group a potential classroom pet to research – small mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians.  Each group  could research the various types of pets within their classification that could make appropriate pets, and then  present the class with options and choose one animal that they recommend.

Some of the information that the groups could research and include in their report could 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.   Some of the components of the project could include an informative poster, an overall summary, and a more detailed information booklet.

In addition to the different valuable learning skills that will be used during this project (working within a group, researching, analysis of data, coming to a conclusion, and writing),  your students will feel ownership in the process of choosing a classroom pet.  They 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!