Title Content Area(s)

Orphan Pets History and Social Sciences, English Language Arts, Information Technology

Sub Content Area(s)

Inquiry, Government and Society, Reading, Writing, Education Technology

Grade Level(s) Overview

1, 2

Strand(s)/Domain(s):
Inquiry; Government and Society; Reading Comprehension; Analysis and Interpretation of Informational Text/Citing Evidence; Expressive Writing: Reflective Essay; Basic Operations and Concepts; Communication

Recommended Length/Duration:
7 Days

Learning Goals:
Essential Questions: Are some pets happy, while others are not? (Are all pets happy?) Do people have a responsibility toward animals? (Should we help animals when we can?) Students will be able to... - ask questions based on what they have learned - explain what their jobs will be during an inquiry investigation - follow directions to complete an inquiry - ask questions and observe during the investigation process - describe what his/her role is as a member of various groups - demonstrate positive interaction with group members - identify ways in which local institutions promote the common good - identify jobs people do in the community, and the value these jobs bring to the community - use a digital camera and video camera - create a digital presentation Description and Sequence Description/Sequence: Session 1a. Show the students pictures of a puppy and a kitten. Show them the question Are all pets happy? and ask them to read it with you together. Ask them to raise their hand if they think the answer is yes (and then ask if they think it is no). Ask them to choose a talk partner and share with them their answer to the question, including why they think so. When

they are finished, ask the students if they would like to learn about how to make a pet happy. b. Inform the students that they will next work with their partner to find information on how to make a cat or dog happy. Ask the students to choose either a dog or a cat and to do research about how to make it happy. Give them a handout with spaces to record their findings and the sources for each piece of information they find. c. Ask the children to share their findings with the class. As they share, ask them to identify the pets basic needs that are being met (food, shelter, love, etc.). Make a list on the interactive whiteboard of the pets basic needs as they are identified. Discuss the needs to ensure that the students understand the conclusion that pets are happy when their basic needs are met. Ask them to share with their partner what they have learned. Session 2 d. After reviewing what they learned in the last session, show the students the question Should we help animals when we can? Ask for their ideas. Go through the list of needs that you created during the last session and ask them how we can help meet each of the needs to make the pets happy. e. Focus on the pets basic need for shelter (a place to live). Ask the students if they would like to learn more about how they can help pets that dont have a home. Introduce the Humane Society of Chittenden County (or of Central Vermont) by going to its website. Ask the students if they would like to take a field trip to visit the Humane Society the following week to learn more about how they can help pets that dont have a home. f. Ask the students to form groups of 4 or 5 students each. Inform them that each group will make a separate presentation to inform both other students in the school and their parents about what they can do to make pets happy, particularly pets that dont have a home. Tell them that their presentations can be done using any program they choose. Tell them that it should include both pictures (still and/or video), text, and audio, as well as include information that they receive at the Humane Society. Tell them that each group will be able to separately interview an expert from the Humane Society. Tell them that they should limit their questions to 3 or 4, so they should choose questions that focus on the topic. Tell them that they should plan for their presentation and that they should assign tasks for each group member to do. Ask them what tasks they will need to complete and discuss them with the class (including preparing questions to ask during the interview, conducting the interview, making a video of the interview (for the students to be able to review what was said,

and possibly to include video clips in their presentations, if the interviewee agrees), taking pictures during the field trip, taking notes during the field trip, finding any other images to use for their presentation, choosing the information to include in their presentation, and creating the presentation). Ask the students to begin preparing for the interview and presentation. Session 3 g. Ask for volunteers to demonstrate how to use a digital camera and a video camera to the students who will be using them on the field trip. Ask the students to practice using both. Ask those who will be asking the questions to write them out if they havent already and to practice asking them. Introduce/review possible programs (such as PowerPoint, Keynote, Photo Story and iMovie) to the students whose main focus on making the presentation. Give feedback to the students on their pictures, video and questioning skills. Ask the students to continue preparing for the field trip. Session 4 h. Following the field trip, discuss with the students what they learned during the field trip about helping orphan pets that they can use in their presentations, especially the need for donations to the Humane Society and for people in the community to adopt its pets. If not mentioned, ask if they would like to tell others about these needs, and suggest that they can include in their presentations an appeal for others to consider donating money to the Humane Society and to adopt its pets. Sessions 5 - 7 i. Ask the students to create their presentations. j. Help the students upload their presentations to the class and school websites. With parental permission, the presentations can also be made available to the Humane Society for display on their website and other websites in the community, or for broadcast by other means in the community and beyond on video sharing sites and television. k. Ask each student to complete a written reflection on what they learned about helping animals, and working as a team to create their presentation. Ask them for possible sentence starters and discuss. Tell them their reflection can be typed in a word processing program or hand written.

Formative Assessment:
- Completed handout containing their findings from their research on how to make a cat or dog happy - Observations of their progress toward completing their presentation - Practice photos and video, and written questions

Summative Assessment:
- Presentation on how to help meet the needs of pets - Written reflection on what they learned