Learning About Animals Using Webkinz Pets

The study of animals takes place throughout the elementary years. Imagine the enthusiasm in children if learning about animals included using their favorite toys?

Within the world of Webkinz, there are animals of all sorts; dogs, cats, farm animals, wild animals, reptiles, birds, etc.

Thinking about the types of content expectations that range through the grade levels there are easy applications for hands-on and multidisciplinary learning with the Webkinz pets. Whether you are studying habitats, predators, types of animal coverings, or food chains I can show you how to harness the enthusiasm kids have for the Webkinz pets to increase the learning in your classroom.

Let's start by thinking of simple sorting exercises. There are an endless number of ways to categorize the Webkinz pets. This may depend upon which animals the children bring with them to share in this activity! But, since most children I talk to have more than twenty pets, I bet you could gather an extensive set of animals to work with in your classroom without investing in them yourself. Note: Before having children bring their pets to school, be sure that each pet is labeled with the owner's initials and all secret code documents removed.

Use hula hoops on the floor to compare the animals. The hula hoops simulate the circles of the Venn Diagram. You might use two hoops or three depending upon what characteristics you are comparing. For comparing more than three characteristics you might use meter sticks to make columns for animals instead. Some suggested classifications for sorting include: omnivore, herbivore, carnivore; color; jungle, forest, farm, or house; mammal, reptile, bird, amphibian; feathers, scales, skin, or hair; legs or wings; how many legs; pet or not pet; long hair, short hair, no hair.

During or after classifying the animals on the floor students can transfer the information onto charts or venn diagrams.

How about building a food chain or food web by laying the animals out on the floor. After creating the web it can be transferred to paper or computer (especially with a mapping software such as Inspiration or Kidspiration).

Other animal study ideas include choosing a Webkinz pet and making a brochure that is about that real animal. A tri-fold brochure could include five sections about the animal in real life. Then one segment could be about the child's Webkinz pet. This could include a digital photo.

A writing activity could include the topic, "Make Me Love Your Pet" and the child uses descriptive writing to captivate an audience with the antics of his or her pet. Or, with a photo of the pet on top, children could write Missing Pet advertisements, acrostic poems, or animal adventure tales.

These are just a couple of activities that can make learning exciting within your classroom by using the enthusiasm kids have for their toys and turning toys into learning tools.

Kathy Cothran is an elementary media specialist committed to helping teachers turn toys into learning tools. Her vast teaching experience ranges from preschool through Master's level education classes.

Download a free sampler of activities for using Webkinz pets for learning at http://turningtoysintotools.com

For years Kathy has been a "Gadget Girl." She loves technology! Tie that to her extensive teaching background and she has been able to interest, invigorate, and inspire children and teachers to use technology in a rich, exciting manner.

Find out more about Kathy at http://theoriginalgadgetgirl.com

Ideas For Using Webkinz Pets For Learning - Teaching With Technology

You've contemplated how excited children are about these Webkinz pets. You've pondered how that could impact your classroom. Yet, you still aren't sure how to go about using this toy in school.

In the following paragraphs I am going to give you specific ideas for using this toy for learning purposes.

First, the world of Webkinz has an extensive economy based on Kinzcash. You must earn cash to support your pets. So, just maintaining a log of Kinzcash earned and spent is a learning tool for children. Earning Kinzcash happens by engaging in the games and visiting the employment office.

There are two main types of games in the arcade section. One type is just arcade type games, and the others have educational value. Some with educational value include "Quizzy's Word Challenge," "Booger Gets an A" (addition math facts), "Home Before Dark" (visual geometry skills), "Get Eleven Solitaire" and many more. With recording sheets students could keep track of their progress.

Food is an important aspect of caring for your pets. Within the land of Webkinz you can even grow your own food in your garden. You must tend your plants, water them, weed them, and then harvest. If you don't take good care of them you'll have to dig up the garden and start again. Monitoring plants is another way that the world of Webkinz is educational.

Needs and wants are inevitable in caring for your pets. There are so many neat items that you can purchase for your pets but you will have to determine the need and if you can afford the item. By setting goals and saving, you can earn enough Kinzcash to purchase the special items. Children can practice this with their Webkinz pet, and then hopefully apply this to their own lives.

Another educational tie for using Webkinz pets in the classroom revolves around the study of animals. There are all types of animal pets now, including herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores. What a fun way to sort and study animals!

If we look for a moment beyond the virtual world of Webkinz we can tie these pets into writing instruction with activities such as "Make me Love Your Pet...write a descriptive paragraph about your favorite webkinz pet" or "Webkinz Theater...write and perform a play with your pets" or nonfiction animal reports.

Many of these activities are perfect during Literacy Work Station time when students are engaged in an array of various activities. I would encourage you to have each student keep a folder just for Webkinz activities.

Most children have their own Webkinz pets and would be able to participate in these activities on their own logins and accounts. For those children that don't, a class pet or two would allow all students to participate and enjoy the experience.

Whereas most people would think that the Webkinz pets and activities are geared for younger children, that isn't the case. Due to the large number of adults who are addicted to playing Webkinz, I believe that there are activities that people of all ages can benefit and learn from inside the land of Webkinz!

Kathy Cothran is an elementary media specialist committed to helping teachers turn toys into learning tools. Her vast teaching experience ranges from preschool through Master's level education classes.

Download the free "Webkinz Activity Sampler" at http://www.turningtoysintotools.com

For years Kathy has been a "Gadget Girl." She loves technology! Tie that to her extensive teaching background and she has been able to interest, invigorate, and inspire children and teachers to use technology in a rich, exciting manner.