Spanish Class Mascot - Engaging Students & Creating Classroom Community

I attended a session on Creating Class Lore at the beginning of the year and it was just what I needed for my too cool for school 8th graders. 

Getting started - First up, we co-created a character in class. I gave them the choice of a capybara or a llama because those were two animals from the target culture that I had stuffies for. Then we named it, decided how old it was, and what it liked to eat and what sports it played. Somehow both classes picked a capybara and named it Juan so Juan became the 8th grade mascot. 

The second day I pulled out my stuffed capybara and held it during class. The kids got excited and several asked if they could pet Juan. I told students that Juan was sad because he was lonely. He didn't have any friends or family. Then I handed out cardstock with black and white capybaras and told them to decorate them however they wanted and then name and describe their capybara. This took two class periods. 

Next, I laminated each of their capybaras and handed them back. Students are supposed to bring them to class every day. Every once in awhile I check to see who has their capybara and they get a house point for having brought them to class. I got this idea from our IB coordinator who used to teach French. She would give her students actual snail shells and they had to take care of their escargot throughout the entire year. 

Keeping it going - For every unit we did a group write for Juan and then students wrote about their own capybaras. So in our family unit we decided who was in Juan's family. For our city unit, students decided where Juan lived and then wrote about their own. This has been great for two reasons: 1) They like writing about their capybaras and it's less pulling teeth to get them to write and 2) It forces them to write in the third person. 

Other random benefits - Some of my students have really really taken a liking to Juan. Two of my Spanish students who I also have for advisory period decided that we should hide Juan like Elf on the Shelf around the room. I relented but told them only if they set Juan up like he was playing a sport since that is what we were learning. So Juan was playing American football. Then the next day, one of the same kids came in with a Halloween mask for Juan. He's played basketball, soccer, and even golf! 

Two of my girls decided that Juan is a Russian spy who likes to rob banks during our city unit. When we made neighborhood maps, their map included a temple to Juan and they drew a golden capybara statue. 

Another benefit is now everyone in the school now thinks capybaras are my thing. The IB coordinator bought me a pack of capybara stickers that students could choose when they got their 10 Sí se puede bubbles and a para found a capybara shirt at Goodwill and bought it for me. 

The downsides - the kids really liked Juan and now he has a rip in one of his leg seams. It's easily fixable but the boys were rough on him. Really that's the only downside - Juan was too well-loved!

Plans for next year - Juan is this 8th grade's mascot. Next year's class will have different choices. I still have the llama but there's also a parrot and a snake. My plan is to rotate through my stuffed animals. 

Do you have a class pet or class mascot? How do you use it in class? Share in the comments below!