Animals and Plants in the Classroom

Animals in the Classroom

Animals are often used in science instruction, and some classrooms may choose to house animals in the classroom. Teachers should always check school, district, and state policies regarding live organisms in the classroom. California Education Code 51540 describes the humane treatment of live vertebrate animals used in the classroom. The following should be considered when keeping live animals in the classroom:

1. Be aware of student allergies and complete any necessary permissions.
2. Teach students how to handle living organisms safely and gently.
3. Integrate live animals in the classroom based on sound curriculum and pedagogical decisions.
4. Ensure proper enclosures and habitats.
5. Develop a plan for the care of the animals at the conclusion of the study, as well as during school breaks and summer vacations.

The following living things should never be housed or handled in the classroom:

1. Bacterial or fungal cultures
2. Stinging insects
3. Poisonous spiders
4. Venomous snakes
5. Exotic species known to endanger local ecosystems
6. Poisonous plants or plants with thorns

Plants in the Classroom

Activities with plants can involve observing plants in the wild, growing seeds, and dissecting structures of plants. The following should be considered when participating in activities involving plants in the classroom or out in the field:

1. Be aware of any allergies students may have to the plants that will be studied. Allergies can be specific to particular plants as well as the effects of excessive pollen.
   
   
2. Students should understand that they should never eat any unknown plants, including seeds and berries.
   
   
3. If the students are observing plants in the wild, students should be instructed to recognize and avoid potentially hazardous plants, such as poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, stinging nettle, as well as poisonous fungi and plants sprayed with insecticides or that have been exposed to animal waste.
   
   
4. When growing plants in a school garden or classroom, compost or organic fertilizers should be used in place of chemical fertilizers.
   
   
5. Use sterilized potting soil instead of soil removed from the outside to avoid possible mold and other fungi.
   
   
6. Purchase seeds from a grocery store, not seeds marketed for garden or field planting, as those seeds may be coated with chemicals.
   
   
7. Wash hands thoroughly after activities involving plants and wash all surfaces where the plants were handled.
   
   
8. Visit the National Capital Poison Center for information on poisonous and non-poisonous plants.