I saw the deer dissection question (wow!) so mine is paler in comparison... Our kindergarteners* really want to take in the deer skull that they found over Thanksgiving. They were out on what they call a "nature hike" (but I just call a walk on the farm with my mom) and found the remains of a deer. All of the bones were completely cleaned, having been there for a while, so they brought home the skull (with separate jaw bone), a few other bones, and the section of the arrow that had obviously been stuck in the body. I'm leaning toward letting them take the two bones of the head but not the arrow or other bones. They are very excited to show it, and I don't think it's really gross to look at - just like seeing a dinosaur at the museum. However, I'm thinking I would need to coach them not to get into a discussion about how the deer died, whether hunting is good or bad, why the hunter left it there, etc. What's wrong with this approach? Do I need to check with the teachers first?
* Twin boys in two different rooms, so this would be two separate show and tell events for a grand total of 50 impressionable 5-6 year olds.
Ha! Take them in - they sound neat and not much different than the cow skulls people use as decoration.
My Dad was a duck hunter and as a young child I was fascinated by duck feet - so I took them to show and tell at school - several times. I don't think anyone was horrified by them as I brought them more than once. So, the family story goes.
Its not bad at all, I send my 4 and 2 year old to a daycare/preschool that is Intergenerational, and nature oriented. They have all sorts of bones in there to look at, after a proper antiseptic bath. I LOVE my kids are able to see and feel and look at these. I would check with teachers first, as some kids may be more sensitive. Or they need proper cleaning. I think its a wonderful idea
Absolutely let them take it and tell how they found it and everything! My son is in kindergarten and would be fascinated. He would love to go deer hunting right now if he could hold a rifle! DON'T let them take the arrow, because schools and school systems have zero tolerance policies about weapons, and there have been many insane cases involving very small children who got expelled over wallet chains and butter knives. Why not talk about how the deer died? That's part of the fascination. Some kids will be into it and some won't, but it's school -they're there to learn!
I would let them bring it in. My son's kindergarten has specimens from our local natural history museum brought in all the time - bones, fossils, feathers, rocks, etc. My son took in a mouse skull last year (he was 4) - the only thing we actually considered was how delicate it was - he told the kids they could look at it but not touch it.
When you take your kids to a museum where there are animal bones (skeletons), or stuffed animals, do you have these kind of discussions? It's too much for the kids. I don't think that you can pull off an objective discussion with this age. And they WILL put you on the spot. You have no idea what the families of these kids believe in regards to hunting. You don't want to paint the hunter in a bad light - you could essentially be making a child see their own dad or uncle or granddad as a bad guy and that's not really your place to do.
Instead of making it an opinionated study of the remains of the deer, make it a biological study. All children this age know that eventually an animal dies, so if they ask why this animal died, don't bring up hunting. Just make it a natural event.
Dawn
Hmmmm I would have to give a LOT of thought to it before I would allow them to take that to school. I can just imagine how my girls would have reacted to someone bring in a "bambi head" to their kindergarten class...lol. I would definitely check this out with the teachers before you allowed them to bring it to school for show and tell!!!
I can just see a lot of questions being asked of them, both during show and tell time and afterwards...out on the playground...and expecting them to be able to field those questions and answer them in a way that wouldn't upset someone's Mom or Dad is a little much to expect.
Of course...if they are really this excited about the deer head they are going to talk about it at school anyway...lol. Good luck!!!
I think it's a great idea. If you do decide to tell the teacher in advance maybe she can do a whole day's lesson plan on deer. Even something as simple as how the Native Americans hunted them and used every part of the animal. The bones as sewing needles the hide for clothing ect.
I took a couple of archeolgy classes in college and I remember one of my professors saying how much they loved to find animal bones in the wild. Because the bones while similar are slightly different in every animal. When they went on a dig it helped so much if they had actual bones to compare the ancient bones they found to. It made it so much easier to figure out how an ancient society lived and what they ate ect.
I would just check with the teachers. They probably know best how kids that age would react. It kind of lets you off the hook of making the decision and lets the teachers know you are considerate.
How cool is that!! Send it.
LBC
Have you properly sterilized the bones? If not they could be carrying quite a LOT of very dangerous illnesses. Prions (mad deer disease, which is VERY transferable to humans... about a gazillion times more virulent to humans than mad cow disease), parasites, flesh eating fungal infections, tons of pathogenic microbes.
YES, absolutely check with the teacher, first.
I would check with the teachers first. I also see that you live in PA (I used to live there) and it is very common for people to hunt. The schools are even closed the first day of hunting season. I think it would be fine to show the bones and discuss them. Like a lesson in science.
I think it would be so great! We homeschool, and one of our recent group activities was at our local national park recreation center which has a great library, microscopes, lots of animal stuff INCLUDING a great skull collection. The kids (4, 3, 5, 6, 7 year olds-my daughter is 5 and son is 3) had to match each skull to a laminated photo of the animal it went to. They were FASCINATED by the skulls. You may want to check with the teachers, and I hope they don't say "no". I'd be tempted to just go for it.
I would definitely check with the teachers first. Personally I wouldn't have them bring it in. For me it's a bit too morbid, albeit obviously it's just part of nature. But at their ages, you never know which kids might get really upset at the sight of the remains of a dead deer...at least wait until after Christmas so none of them think it was one of Santa's!
You will definately want to ask the teacher's permission to see if it coincides with what she's teaching, if it's appropriate for kindergarten and if she has time in her schedule to squeeze this in.
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
