Title of Project: Helping the Local Humane Society

Grade Level: 6-8

Number of Students Participating:

Contributed by:

Teacher:

School: Murray Elementary School

District or County: Murray Independent School District

Overview/Description of Project: Special education students collected items for the Humane Society. During several visits, they helped by cleaning cages and feeding the animals.

Goals:

-To make the students aware of the Humane Society and its needs

-To teach responsible pet ownership

Core Content Areas:

Communication and Math Skills : 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.11, 1.12  Students read books about pet care. They also read pamphlets given to them by the local humane society to learn about their mission in helping find homes for unwanted pets. They made presentations to their peers about pet care.

Math : 2.8, 2.11 Students graphed the results of their collection drive and the categorized items collected.

Science : 2.6 Students learned about the needs of common household pets and how to be a responsible pet owner.

Social Studies : 2.16 Students learned how other cultures view pets and compared this with how people in the US view pets. They also learned how certain human behaviors cause animals to be placed at shelters and characteristics of a responsible pet owner.

Arts and Humanities : 2.22 As part of their collection drive, students made decorative boxes to collect items throughout the school.

Practical Living : 2.33 Students were made aware of the services provided by the Humane Society and how they, as citizens in the community, could contribute to this organization.

Vocational Studies : 2.36, 2.37 Students studied careers related to animals. They practiced good work ethics during each visit as they worked together to accomplish their tasks.

Self-Sufficiency : 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.7 This project provided a way for students to learn independently, express their creativity, and exhibit flexibility as the project unfolded. Their self concept improved as they helped the animals at the shelter.

Responsible Group Membership : 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5 Students learned to work effectively as a group, both during the collection drive and during their visits to the shelter. They learned to be caring and responsible pet owners..

Thinking and Problem-Solving : 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5 This project provided an excellent way for students to use critical, creative and conceptual thinking skills. It also allowed them to make decisions and solve problems relevant to the project.

Integration of Knowledge : 6.2, 6.3 Students use their existing knowledge to plan the project and developed new knowledge as the project progressed.

PARC MODEL STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

PREPARATION: 1) Students discussed the needs of animals and the role domestic animals play in our lives. They discussed the characteristics of responsible pet owners. They read books related to pet care. 2) In groups, students researched the needs of common household pets. Through group presentations, students learned from each other how to care for various household pets. 3) The teacher discussed how pets are viewed by people in other cultures. Students learned to compare other cultures’ views with views of people in the U.S. 4) Students decided they wanted to help the local Humane Society. A guest speaker was invited to speak about their particular facility and to share ideas of how students could help. They decided to collect needed supplies for the shelter and to spend time helping to clean and feed the animals. The speaker also discussed careers related to animals and left pamphlets for the students to review. 5) The students read the pamphlets to get more information about the Humane Society and to plan their project.

ACTION: 1) Students began organizing their school-wide collection drive. Students publicized the collection drive with posters and PA announcements. This helped the entire school understand the needs of the local Humane Society. The collection period lasted approximately 3 weeks. Students graphed and categorized items as they were collected. Students graphed and categorized items as they were collected. 2) Once all the items were collected, students went to the shelter to deliver the supplies. 3) Students began visiting two days per week for two hours. During this time, they cleaned cages and fed the animals.

REFLECTION: 1) After the collection drive, students wrote in their journals about how they felt toward the project. They also had open discussions as a large group. 2) After each visit, students talked about how they felt about the day and what they had accomplished. They critiqued each others’ work habits and how each person could improve during the next visit. 3) The Humane Society sent a formal thank you to the students for helping meet their needs, both through the collection of supplies and in the volunteer hours they provided.

CELEBRATION: