Write a body paragraph that matches this introduction paragraph:

Do you think we should have a class pet? I believe we should have a class pet because it helps students learn responsibility.

Use the following passage to build your body paragraph:

"How Classroom Pets Foster Social and Emotional Learning"

Having animals allows students to care for something that has feelings. Many students learn to love these animals and ask to visit them years later. Students learn responsibility by feeding the animals the appropriate amount of food and managing their waste. Students read to the animals and learn to care for others with love and kindness. If a student is feeling anxious or upset, they can go to the animal’s cage and watch the animal, and then practice some breathing exercises and regulate themselves.

Students can also make connections between their needs and the animal’s, such as physical and emotional needs. At times, our bearded dragon can get nervous when a student he doesn’t know picks him up. With patience and practice, he becomes comfortable being handled and petted. Students can recognize similarities to the dragon; if the dragon is feeling nervous, they recognize how our own bodies feel when anxious and can then support the animal.

Unfortunately, as with any living creature, an animal can become sick or die. If a pet becomes ill, we’re able to show students connections between animals being sick and seeing a vet and humans seeing health care providers. Last year, one of our teachers lost one of the class’s guinea pigs. She told the class what happened and how they all knew the guinea pig was sick and did everything they could to help it.

Some students shared funny moments they had experienced with the guinea pig; some coped by writing goodbye letters and drawing pictures. Parents supported us by printing pictures of the guinea pig and giving them to students to put throughout the classroom. While this was a very sad situation, it brought the classroom together and helped students support one another.

For some students, seeing an animal they don’t come across often can produce anxiety. Within teaching boundaries, we reinforce student choices—if a student is interested in handling an animal, they can, after the proper education and training. Learning about the animal can help ease anxiety about the animal.