Concord High School, Concord, New Hampshire

The Crimson Review

Concord High School, Concord, New Hampshire

The Crimson Review

PapaRATzi

PapaRATzi

Rats are back in Concord High School this spring as they are every year in Lise Bofinger’s Animal Behavior class in E427.
Students who have  no experience training rats learn their specific behaviors in order to get rats to meet some intended objective by the end of the year.
Those taking the Animal Behavior class seem be passionate about what they are doing as it is an alternative way to learn through the actions of another species.
“Rats are a high interest subject for students, and students seem to like them,” explained Bofinger, who is also curriculum facilitator for the science department.
About this project she said, “I do it because I feel that if students like what they’re doing, they are more willing to learn.”
Two of Bofinger’s students, Concord High School seniors Autumn Wheeler and Miranda Harris, are sharing a rat they decided to name “Scout.”
“The goal is to get Scout through an obstacle course. We use Cheerios to reward her for what she does well,” said Harris.
Rats in cages can be seen across campus — though never in the Student Center — as students carry them to classes or prepare to bring them home for weekends.
 

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