I had to think long and hard before deciding on a classroom pet. My number one requirement was that it was something that did not stink and was not very high maintenance. I also wanted an animal that the kids could interact with and could become part of our classroom. A hedgehog was the perfect choice. We are able to let him out to freely roam the classroom, but the kids are not tempted to touch him. It's a big deal when Ollie is let free to roam around the room. The kids know they have to be quiet and not make sudden movements so that they will not scare him. They get so tickled when he goes under our reading bench and I have to pull everything out to get to him. I hear them talk about adventures he is taking around the room and they make up stories to write about in their journal.
I am amazed to see how such an interactive pet has transformed my classroom. Kids who are reluctant to read love to pick out a book, sit beside his cage, and read to him. Some who often have a hard time thinking of topics to write about choose to write about adventures that Ollie may take or an informational text full of facts that they have learned about him though our research.We also get in as many read alouds featuring hedgehogs as we can throughout the year.
Before getting Ollie, we researched the differences between hedgehogs and porcupines. They wrote facts from their research in their journals.
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