This is a FUN lesson that lasts ALL year and the best part is that it is TOTALLY student driven!
I got this idea from my daughter’s first grade teacher 6 years ago. It was SO FUN that I have been doing it ever since with my own class. My daughter’s first grade teacher is a SUPERMOM and stays home with her beautiful kids now.
Here’s the lesson!
A mysterious package arrives to your classroom!
(your local post office will totally decorate the box for you for FREE) They think it’s so fun too.
It has holes poked in it and it has fragile and special delivery stickers and stamps all over it!
Immediately the class is making predictions as to what it could possibly be!
Here’s where you can teach predicting or inferring, or both, or really…any reason to make an anchor chart if you are in my classroom!
Now here’s another idea…these super small pet carriers are $16 dollars at walmart.
I got this one for my toy poodle. {She’s a mess ya’ll.} I won’t be using this with my firsties, but my own two kids totally fell for this hook line and sinker! {Wow! What’s in it Mom?} How cute would this be walking down the hall with a kiddo at the end of each day?
So we open the package to find this!
And a letter explaining why we got this amazing package in the middle of our school day!
Next to that I have parent explanations…in a sheet protector.
Then I have a variety of different writing paper and to be honest I sometimes just put a spiral notebook or a composition book in here and call it a day. It depends on the ability of the students. I have the mostly picture paper with 2 lines, the dotted lines shown here, and then a step above with no dots and smaller lines.
Sometimes your journal will come back with just a drawing or some non legible writing…It’s ok. Just allow the child to hold the journal and tell about their adventures. Everyone can be at their own level and truly there aren’t any rules. In fact at first I get a little worried when I see what comes back. But remember they have to start somewhere and they are writing at home for fun!!! So it’s win win!
I put everything I use and some specific parent and teacher explanations together in a pack. It has everything you need to start this in your room. {except for a stuffed animal!} It is $2.50!

Love this! What a great idea for do start the first week of school. Definitely on my wishlist!
Jessica
Apples and Papers
I LOVE that idea! The kids would think it was so cool.
This is WONDERFUL for the K-2 group! This can be cool for our Book Buddies class. Thank you. – Victoria 🙂
This is so fun. We have a class mascot, but this sounds so much more fun. I think I might have an animal or two to send home.
Cindy
KindergartenLove.
I Love it! I did the same thing my first year of teaching. It was a stuffed pig and we named him Porky. I used one of the huge 2 gallon size ziploc bags and called it Porky's suitcase. Inside I put a compostion notebook {for the journal} and a disposable camera. Each kid had him for 2 nights. It was one of my favorite activities and I still have the journal with all the sweet little pictures. I love the idea of the special delivery. That makes it even more REAL for the students {since they already believe that stuffed animals are real…love them}. Thanks for putting it all together and for the inspiration. Love Love Love!!!
Meghan
First Grade with a Cherry on Top
Oh my word this is a super cute idea!! I have added this pack to my list and I am going shopping for a stuff animal immediately. Thank you for sharing your idea:)
Natalie
http://www.nataliesnook123.blogspot.com
WOW what a great idea. Thank you to your daughters teacher and to you for putting everything together and sharing it with us. Once again. . . I'm pinning ya and then heading to TPT to spend even more money. YOU ROCK!!!
✰ Stacy
Simpson Superstars
Eeek! How cute is this!?!? 🙂 You are full of such great ideas! I absolutely love this idea & am pinning it so I can remember to do this soon!
Lisa
Learning Is Something to Treasure
Oh my Larry sakes alive!! Could this be any more brillant and fun?! Totally doing it!!!
Michelle @Smitten With First
OMG!! LOVE this idea! Thank you so much for sharing!
Cindy
All Things Teachery
I LOVE your ideas!! So stinkin cute!!!
Okay, I love the special delivery idea! Precious. I'm going to try a class pet this year for the first time. I'm excited to see what happens with my class. Hopefully I will get some super cute responses like yours. 🙂
Amanda
The Teaching Thief
Very Cute 🙂
Sue
theverybusykindergarten
This is such a cute idea! I have some questions for you. How often do you send the pet home, and how long do the kids keep it? Also, does everyone take it home once, or do you keep sending it home after everyone has had their turn? Thanks!
All the logistics are explained in the packet, but of course everyone can do what works for them!
This is such a great idea! I can see a whole unit around the endangered animal! WOW!!!! You have my brain working overdrive, lol!
Wishful Teaching
This is SUCH a good idea!! And so much easier than a real live class pet that will likely make the kids equally as happy 🙂
❤ -Stephanie
Falling Into First
So cute!!
❤Teri
A Cupcake for the Teacher
Oh my word! That is too cute! I love different "hooks" to get their attention. They would definitely all be excited to take that tiger home.
So TpT is having a back to school sale and I am having a linky party for bloggers that are also hosting sales in their store. I'd love you to come link up if you are planning a sale!
TpT Sale Linky
Thanks!
Amanda
First Grade Garden
Reagan… OMG so cute!
Oh wow! Too cute. When I read these kinds of ideas, it makes me miss the littles 🙂 I had a traveling elephant who wore clothes and everything!! He would come back in new outfits that the parents had made! Fun!!
Elizabeth
I love the idea of the special stickers on the package. We get tons of "mail" and adding the stickers will add even more fun and excitement. =)
Heather
Heather's Heart
I love this – Jacob got to bring a bear home in K and he totally LOVED on it all. weekend. long!!!
Did you unearth my large envelope of caterpillar cutouts from all that summer school mail yet?
Happy New Year!
Barbara
The Corner On Character
Super Cute! If I may add a suggestion….I have a class friend that I send home, except there are secretly 3 versions of said friend.
1 is in regular rotation
1 is in hiding in the event that something happens to friend 1
and the
3rd is reserved for "smoking homes" as the bag and animal ALWAYS come back smelling like an ashtray.
The kids have never noticed the difference, but this helps avoid sending a smokey friend to an organic home.
🙂 Jodi
That's a great idea! In my parent info I let them know that the animal LOVES to take a bath in the washer and dryer! 🙂
We love this idea Reagan! On our first day of school we go on a "hunt" around campus to find our class orca whale mascot, Oreo. We also use it as a tour for our school, show them where the bathrooms are, snack tables, etc. and we always finish in the principal's office where Oreo is hiding, along with some goldfish cracker snacks. We also have 2 lil friends we use to move around the room when they are "quiet as fish".
So your idea has just changed things up a bit. We are going to send our 2 lil stuffies on our tour and bring them back to class to be named by our students. Then, when we are ready to start "Whale of the Week" we are going to have Oreo delivered in a package to introduce our program.
This is what we love so much about blogging-all these fabulous ideas! Thanks so much for sharing Reagan! And another HUGE thank you for being part of our giveaway 🙂
~Christy & Tammy
Fluttering Through First Grade
Thank you for sharing all your wonderful teaching ideas and tools. I just graduated in April and will begin my teaching journey in less than two weeks. I was planning on having a "class pet" that would go home with students, but never thought of the special delivery idea. Everything you do is so innovative and engaging for students. I am so excited to use the resources you have on your TPT site and hope I can be as creative as a teacher as you. When I read your posts I dream that I can be one of your students:)
Best of Luck! How exciting!
Hopefully soon I will be reading about your adventures and ideas!
What a great idea!! Thanks for sharing!
Heather ([email protected])
This is so cool! Thanks for sharing! Off to put your activity in my TPT cart and then to find a pet! 🙂
A Pirates Life for Us
I like this idea. We are not allowed to have class pets so this is perfect!
I am so doing this.
Ms. Fiorini’s Stadium
Have always had a traveling pet, "Adventure Dog"… and absolutely LOVE the idea of the special delivery! You are inspiring! Thank you from a loyal fan.
Sara
Kinderaffe2ndgraders.blogspot.com
Way cute! I did a animal the kids could take home year before last. But I didn't do it last year. May have to bring the animal back!
Rowdy in First Grade
OMG~ I'm loving this. I've never had a class pet, but I love this idea. I'm heading out to the zoo (it's close by) to pick up an animal.
This is so freakin cute, I can't even stand it!!
You rock my socks off, friend!
Denise
Sunny Days In Second Grade
I love this idea! My daughter's kindergarten teacher had a teddy bear that went home with a kid each night and they had to write in its journal. My only gripe about that teddy was that it spread (like wildfire) lice. It only took one child to take it home, sleep with it, and bring back nits that went to the next child's home, and so on. Unfortunately, we were one of the families. Every time it came home after that, it went right into the dryer on high heat for twenty minutes. I like the idea of a back-up (or two).
Very clever idea! I have some class pets that are taken home when children earn them. We have a competition at the start of the year to name each one. Each pet has a journal with a note written by the pet saying what they have done in the summer holidays. Children write, draw and glue photos into the journal. This is shared with the class the next day.
I love the idea of a class pet, since real live animals are not allowed this is perfect. What a wonderful way for kids to write at home. This is a must for me to incorporate this coming year.
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