Is a sheep skull 'appropriate' for show and tell?

[Blu]

DS and I have just returned from the Lake District, where DS saw sheep dogs at work, lambs being rescued, farmers catching lambs with a crook, lambs feeding...and collected a selection of skulls, horns and jawbones from the fells. He LOVES show and tell, and we brought a selection home for him to take to school along with his cuddly sheep-dog and leaflet about breeds of sheep. I have bleached / disinfected the bones, but DP says it is totally inappropriate to send bits of sheep corpse into reception, and his teacher will be appalled.

MN opnions please!

I think it would be better and more interesting than the usual crap!

to me I don;t agree that it's innappropriate. it's fascinating and unusual for kids to be able to see a skull. however I suspect you and i (and probably quite a few round here) are in the minority and I am sure plenty of mums (especially the ones who draw a distinction between cuddly sweet lambs and the kind that comes in chops) would find it distasteful. (not so sure about the Dads) Being of the kind ill-inclined to rock boats I would probably not send it in.

Yeah
I bet the other kids will love it and after all it is a part of life IYSWIM.

I taught reception and I would have thought an animal skull was an excellent object for show and tell. I was brought a dead mole once!

could you ask the teacher first?

I think its ok yes!
My kids have taking in all sorts..along with the news 'my mum and dad are splitting up and mum has a boyfriend!'

Yes, definitely. If you've cleaned them (bleugh).

I'd say it's absolutely fine. dd took in a bird skull once in reception, it never crossed my mind that it might be considered offensive.

I think its a good idea. Kids will like it. DS2 loves finding animal bones on the moors, being in London many of the other kids may not have seen them before.

LOL at dead mole and family dramas! When I was in doing reading practice in the class, DS's best freind brought an empty persil box as his contribution - it's USP being that it still smelled of persil even though it was empty and all the kids lined up and sniffed it!!

I think I will check with his teacher tonight - there may be some mad H&S ruling or something.

brilliant idea - my ds would think it was great - suppose you could ask the teacher in advance to be polite

coo-el

the boys'll love it
the girls will scream

We saw a golden eagle, too. DS knows now that they feed on dead sheep and lambs.

I'd agree there's nothing wrong with it, probably more interesting than most stuff they get (and kids are quite goulish, anyway). But haven't you had some wierdness about this school in the past? Can't remember what, but have a feeling there's been something odd. So prob. a good idea to check.

how old r the kids? if it were receptiona nd my ds was in teh class i would find it inappro[riate as not sure he would have the understandiung had he not actually been on the holiday himself to know about death and all that.

get a lamb chop and suspend it in formaldehyde too .. that'll be funny

Scream or be gorily fascinated. Suspect DD1 would be in camp number 2.

Do they have to know about death though. I mean if you go for a walk on the moors you see aninal bones all the time. I had quite a collection as a kid. DS2 has been picking them up since he was old enough to have them pointed out to him. Think it would be even more valuable for city dwellers.

Edam - no, not me - all has been v straightforward.

But MoM - even reception children have looked at pics of skeletons, haven't they? And know that things do die? It is a very inner-city school with lots of sheltered 'indoor' children (like DP!).

I have to say all the small children of my acquaintance are repulsively mesmerised by the vile animal skeletons in the Horniman museum, so going on that they'd be totally thrilled by the skull. Bluboy's popularity will increase, should that be humanly possible.

sounds fab. dd1 would LOVE it.
surely every reception age child has at least a brushing acquaintance with death?? dd1 is 3 and we are already on about the umpteenth conversation about it...

I was a teacher (in a sheltered indoor London primary) and I would have love it.

But I would mention it to the teacher and also say that you have cleaned them- then perhaps the children will be able to get closer to them.

hmm, not sure if I would like it, and I know I def wouldn't let my kids keep bones. I don't see why anyone would want to? Death happens, but I can't say I was to encourage morbid fascination with it. At school for a science theme it could be interesting, but I do think you need to check with the teacher. You might also run the risk of beign responsible fro nightmares in sensitive children!

Whenever we visit PIL the highlight is walking to the owl tree. The owl that lives in the tree drops hundreds of tiny mouse bones and beetle shells which my boys collect. They stuck them all onto card and all three took them for S&T (Rec, Y1 and preschool)