Using Animals to Promote Language Skills

Kids love pets. Even kids that do not have any pets, still love to talk about them!

My daughter, for example, has been asking forever for a pet. Being the crazy, stressed out, budget conscious mom that I am, I have always and adamantly rejected this request. So this last week for her tutor, she writes an essay about how her mom won’t get her a pet. If you click on the picture to see it more clearly, you’ll see why I feel am feeling badly right now. Look at all that amazing language! And going back through some of her school work from the last few years, I see this same topic repeated over and over.

There are many ways to talk use animals to facilitate language!

1. Have students bring in photos (or draw) of their own pets. Describe what they look and act like.

2. Describe animals from photos. Nothing gets kids talking like some adorable animals!

3. Describe animals from videos. Narrate what the animals are doing.

4. Create your own pet. Make a list of all the characteristics that would make the perfect pet for you. Then draw it and describe it!

Even though I won’t give in on the pets issue, I am trying to rid myself of my guilt slightly by creating a language unit based on pets. I know there are a lot of nice moms out there that allow their kids to have pets. And I know those kids adore their pets. So this new product is in honor of all of them.

Here is a run-down of what is in this product:

“Petastic Language” is a fantastic way to use beloved pets as motivators for language practice. There are five sections in this product, divided by skills level. Each section includes at least three activities. The activities include flash cards, games, photos, and worksheets and are aligned with Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9 Compare and contrast
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1 Participate in conversations
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3 Ask and answer questions, summarize
CSS.ELA –Literacy.S.4 Report on a topic with details, express opinions
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6 Express thoughts clearly and in complete sentences
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1 Use standard English grammar
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4 Define and clarify new vocabulary

“Petastic Language” is a unique product because it provides the opportunity to easily differentiate between groups. Although all students use receptive/expressive language talking about pets, activities and worksheets are divided into the following levels:

PreK (2-3 word utterances)
Level 1 (K-1st grade CCSS level), Level 2 (2nd-3rd grade CCSS level)
Level 3 (4th-5th grade CCSS level)
Social Skills

You can get this awesome language unit here. I hope you love it and my daughter is finally appeased… cause you know, a unit for my students as just as good as a dog of her own, right?