True or False: A platypus is a mammal.

This week we are continuing a study of mammals. You all know that my kids are animal lovers, so this study was hand-picked for them. Science is definitely not drudgery around here. Especially when we allow the finer educational qualities of Beanie Babies and Webkinz in our schoolroom.

For starters, mammals have hair and nurse their young. Most mammals birth live babies, but not all. Monotremes are a type of mammal that lay eggs. A duck-billed playpus comes to mind:

Marsupials are also mammals, but they have a pouch for their babies to safely nurse as they continue to develop. Kangaroos fall into this category and so do Webkinz koala bears.
Australia has the monopoly on these unique mammals. So now add this island continent to the places my safari-loving K wants to visit...after petting the leopards in Botswana (really...she wants to live there thanks to National Geographic).

Even my tiniest student has a favorite, unique animal: Clifford, the biggest, reddest mammal of all!