Pet or Not
Purpose
To explore why some animals make good pets and
some do not In this exploration, students will make
a gallery of animals they might like to keep as pets
Process Skill(s)
Observe, Classify, Collect data, Draw conclusions,
Communicate
Background
Some animals make better pets than others for various
reasons This may include the temperament, size, or
needs of the animal, as well as what people are capable
of providing for them Before choosing an animal as a
pet, it is important to understand the responsibilities
behind pet ownership and appropriate animal habitats
Time – Approximately 45 minutes – 1 hour
Grouping – Individuals and class
Procedure
1 Have students discuss pets they know
of and what they know about them Talk
about what makes an animal a good pet
Make a T-chart on the board listing traits
of animals that do and do not make
good pets
Students may be inclined to choose
animals that are commonly kept as pets,
but choosing unusual animals may be
more fun and yield a greater awareness
about what makes an animal a good pet
2 Give students art supplies and have
them each draw a picture of an animal
they’d like to have as a pet You may allow
students to choose their own animals, or
3 Help students write the name of their animal on their picture
4 Pass out copies of the data sheet, and instruct students to write a description of their animal in each way listed You may need to help emerging writers complete the data sheets Alternatively, you might want students to respond with drawings instead of words Other resources,
including the Internet, can be useful
in completing the chart for unfamiliar animals
5 At the bottom of the data sheet, have students use information they have written about their animal to explain why it would
Materials
q data sheet
q art paper
q drawing and coloring supplies
q construction paper, colored tag board, or poster paper (for frames)
Any age-appropriate art materials may be substituted
Optional Materials
q magazines that can be cut
q photographs of pets
q glue or glue sticks
Trang 2EXPLORATION Animals—Pet or Not
Students who finish quickly may repeat
the process with a new animal
Students’ responses may be shared with
the group orally, or in a visual display
You can make a gallery or exhibition of
all the animal pictures Add pictures of
the animals, cut from magazines Photos
of the students’ own pets can be used to
demonstrate animals that do make good
pets If you intend to display student work
as a gallery, scout out a place to display
the drawings and/or the accompanying
data sheets
Extensions and Variations
• Project: Develop a game in which students
try to match the information from the data
sheets (without the animal name) with the
pictures of students’ animals
• Writing: Have students write or recite a
story about taking care of an unusual pet Research types of animals that are kept
as pets in other parts of the world
• Field Trip: Visit a pet store or animal rescue
center to allow students to learn firsthand how to take care of certain pets
Data Sheet: Students should have an accurate response (in words or drawings) for each descriptor in the first column.
Conclusion: Students should select the appropriate box (subjective) for whether the animal would or would not make a good pet Logical reasoning should support this choice.
Trang 3Collect Data
Kind of animal
Kind of body
covering
Number of legs
What it eats
How big it is
How it moves
Other things about
the animal
Draw Conclusions
My animal WOULD make a good
pet because:
…or… My animal WOULD NOT make a
good pet because:
Name Date _