Do Animals Matter? Lesson Plan

Do Animals Matter?
Lesson Plan
Grades: Ages: Time:
4-5 9-11 years This lesson should take place over a series of days. Each session is approximately 45 minutes. Kindness Citizenship Respect
Character Pillars:
Standards:
Standard
English/Language Arts English/Language Arts English/Language Arts English/Language Arts Applied Learning Applied Learning Applied Learning Applied Learning
Area
Writing Writing Speaking, Listening, Viewing Speaking, Listening, Viewing Communication Tools and Techniques Communication Tools and Techniques Information Tools and Techniques Information Tools and Techniques
Performance Description
E2a E2e E3c E3d A2a A2c A3a A3b
2009 American Humane Association
Do Animals Matter? Lesson Plan
Rationale: Learning to recognize and use a variety of persuasive techniques that incorporate speaking, reading and writing is an important part of the educational curriculum. Students will research information about a particular animal, and then apply that information in the development of a persuasive presentation. The ultimate purpose of this lesson is to create awareness of the value and many benefits that come from the presence of animals in our lives.
Behavioral Objectives:
Students will:
Learn about and implement various techniques of persuasion. Research information about a particular animal. Develop a presentation utilizing persuasive techniques. Identify the character pillars of kindness, citizenship and respect. Become aware of the ways animals enrich our lives. Be able to articulate the value of animals.
Materials:
List of or access to research materials (books, magazines, websites, etc.) Persuasive Techniques Worksheet (included) Persuasive Technique Matching Worksheet and Answer Key (included) Persuasive Project Guidelines Worksheet (included) Do Animals Matter? Planning Worksheet (included) Persuasive Project Rubric (included) Dry-erase board or chalkboard Optional: Sample advertisements from magazines, newspapers, etc.
Procedure:
Set:
Explain to the students that they are going to learn about various persuasive techniques through the development of a persuasive presentation. The students job is to identify an animal that is important to them and convince others that the animal is important as well. Students will also become more conscious of the ways that animals enrich their lives.
www.americanhumane.org
Lesson 1: Discussion
The first lesson addresses the various methods of persuasion. Begin a discussion with the following questions: If you wanted to convince another person to think the same way that you do about a particular thing, how could you convince him or her? For example, how could you talk someone into rooting for your favorite baseball team? Or talk them into getting the same backpack that you have?
Ask different students to explain what they would say to convince someone to think the way they do. Be sure to make it clear that there are no right or wrong responses; different techniques, ideas and suggestions are all correct.
Continue the discussion by pointing out how various ideas are similar or different. Tell the class that the techniques they came up with for convincing others to think the same way they do are called persuasion. Next, distribute the Persuasive Techniques Worksheet to the students. Depending on the students ability and experience with this subject, the educator may wish to limit the students to just a few of the persuasive techniques by crossing out those that will not be discussed.
Review the Persuasive Techniques Worksheet with the students. Suggested additional activities: Have students share verbally or write down their own examples of each technique. Ask students to find ads from magazines or websites that are examples of different persuasive techniques.
Provide each student with the Persuasive Technique Matching Worksheet to reinforce the different types of persuasion. Instruct students to cut out all the squares, and then match each example with one of the types of persuasive techniques. Make students aware that some examples may match more than one type of persuasive technique. Use this overlap as a point of class discussion. Instruct students to refer to the Persuasive Techniques Worksheet as a guide. Some students may require additional assistance.
Be sure to allow enough time to complete the activity.
When all students have completed the Persuasive Technique Matching Worksheet, review the activity as a group and discuss the correct answers. An answer key is provided to assist you.
Lesson 2: Persuasive Projects
Distribute the Persuasive Project Guidelines Worksheet to each student and explain, in detail, the requirements of the project. Explain how the project will be evaluated (refer to Persuasive Project Rubric worksheet). The Project Rubric is based on four elements: Creativity Information Visual/Auditory Appeal Persuasive Techniques
Assist the students in choosing the animals that they would like to research. Be sure to encourage them to choose a particular animal that has impacted their lives, rather than a general category of animal. The animal they choose could be one that is alive today, or one that they knew in the past. Example: Rather than just choosing polar bears, encourage the student to identify why polar bears were chosen. Did the student see a particular polar bear at a zoo or aquarium that made him love polar bears? Was there a moment that a polar bear changed the life of that child? Example: Rather than choosing dogs, encourage the student to identify why she chose dogs. Perhaps her grandmothers dog was very special to her, or perhaps a dog was her first best friend.
Distribute the Do Animals Matter? Planning Worksheet for students to complete. Allow students time to think about and develop their projects. Provide support for students needing help in structuring their project. Develop a schedule for students to share their presentations. Educators may wish to limit presentations to the classroom, or expand presentations to other classes, the entire school or the community. It may be beneficial to pair presentations with events such as Be Kind to Animals Week, Earth Day, etc.
Lesson 3: Presentations
Have students present their persuasive projects. This may take several class sessions. Utilize the Persuasive Project Rubric worksheet to evaluate each student.
Lesson 4: Reflections
This is an opportunity for the students to discuss each others presentations, the animals that were chosen, the roles animals play in our lives and the pillars of character. Encourage students to discuss their answers to the following: What are some ways the various animals enriched the lives of each presenter? How would the presenters life be different if she or he had never encountered that animal? What are some ways the various animals (or animals in general) enrich the world around us? How would humans be different if animals were not in our lives? How would the world be different if animals did not exist? What are your feelings about the animals from each others presentations, both before and after the presentations? What are your feelings about animals in general, both before and after the presentations? How have the presentations affected your perspective of animals and their value to the world around us? What have you learned from this project?
Record key words from the students responses on the board. Next, ask students to list the pillars of character and record them on the board (www. josephsoninstitute.org). Trustworthiness Respect Fairness Caring Citizenship Responsibility
Encourage the students to discuss and give examples of each of the pillars. Encourage students to discuss their answers to the following: Which presentations, situations or animals demonstrate examples of the six pillars of character that were previously discussed? Which pillars of character correlate to the role of animals in our lives in general? How would the absence of animals in our lives change our character? Do animals matter?
Persuasive Techniques Worksheet

1. Bandwagon techniques try to convince people that a product is good because everyone else likes it; they encourage people to jump on the bandwagon. Ex: Everyone loves golden retrievers, so you should too! Ex: ________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 2. Testimonial techniques involve someone, usually a famous person, stating (or testifying) that the product is good because they tried it and it worked. Ex: A famous actor speaks in a commercial about how great Brand X Pet Food is. Ex: ________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 3. Emotional Appeal techniques use emotions to sway people toward a product or an idea. Ex: A commercial shows a puppy running up the stairs alongside a child. As the dog ages, he can no longer go up the stairs. The commercial is for dog food that helps dogs have more energy. Ex: ________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 4. Plain Folks techniques promote ideas or products by showing a person (sometimes a famous person) in a way that makes him or her appear like the guy next door someone who average people can relate to. Ex: The mayor is featured in a TV commercial, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, asking people to care about the environment as much as he does. Ex: ________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 5. False Cause and Effect techniques try to convince the audience that if they do one thing, like use a particular product or think a particular way, the outcome will be always be predictable. Ex: Using Brand X Cat Food will make your cat live longer. Ex: ________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
6. Name Calling techniques make an opponent, idea or product look bad in order to make another one seem better. Ex: In a detergent commercial, Brand X Detergent does not remove the stains from a white shirt as well as Super Clean Detergent does. Ex: ________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 7. Card Stacking techniques tell the facts about one side only. Ex: A shelter worker tells a future pet adopter only the good things about the Siamese cat that she is interested in adopting. Ex: ________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 8. Glittering Generalities techniques exaggerate an issue or product using general, unsupported and often meaningless statements. Ex: An advertisement for dog shampoo states that it is the best shampoo on the market because all dogs love it! Ex: ________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 9. Caricature techniques feature an exaggerated drawing and are mostly used in political cartoons. Ex: A funny drawing that exaggerates specific features, such as making a mouth very big. Ex: ________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
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Persuasive Technique Matching Worksheet

1. Cut out each square below 2. Match each persuasive technique with the example of that technique.
Bandwagon
A commercial shows a wellknown actor walking a dog, asking for volunteers to spend time at their local shelter.
Card Stacking
A billboard for an animal shelter shows a sad dog hiding under a bush. In big letters it states, Every dog deserves a good home.
Testimonial
A bag of cat food says that people who dont use this brand are foolish.
Name Calling
A shelter worker tells a future adopter only the positive things about having a puppy.
Emotional Appeal
Plain Folks
A famous actor tells how wonderful a particular dog trainer is.
A newspaper ad for adopting shelter dogs includes a cartoon of a dog with exaggerated large, sad eyes. A sign in a local animal shelter states that their pets are the best on the planet!
Giving your dog this special treat will make him happy and healthy.
False Cause and Effect
Caricature
Everyone should adopt a dog from their local shelter.
Glittering Generalities
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Persuasive Technique Matching Worksheet

Answer Key
Card Stacking A shelter worker tells a future adopter only the positive things about having a puppy. Plain Folks A TV commercial shows a well-known actor walking a shelter dog, asking for volunteers to spend time at their local shelter. Name Calling A bag of cat food says that people who dont use this brand are foolish. False Cause and Effect Giving your dog this special treat will make him happy and healthy. Testimonial A famous actor tells how wonderful a particular dog trainer is. Bandwagon Everyone should adopt a dog from their local shelter. Emotional Appeal A billboard for an animal shelter shows a sad dog hiding under a bush. In big letters it states, Every dog deserves a good home. Caricature A newspaper ad for adopting shelter dogs includes a cartoon of a dog with exaggerated large, sad eyes. Glittering Generalities A sign in a local animal shelter states that their pets are the best on the planet!
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Persuasive Project Guidelines Worksheet

Step 1: Choose an animal Think of an animal that has impacted your life in a positive way. It should be one particular special animal that you can think of. It could be a pet that belonged to you or a friend or relative, or one you saw on TV, at the zoo or aquarium, or one you watch outside. The animal could be one you remember from the past, or one you know currently. Choose any animal that is or was special to you. Step 2: Choose a format Using any creative format you want, your job is to persuade your class that your animal is the best animal on earth, and they should care about the animal too! Creative formats may include: Poster Radio spot* Song Brochure Play* Poem TV commercial* Magazine or newspaper ad Drawing, painting or sculpture*
You may also choose any other format that you have discussed with your teacher. * Hints: If you choose to develop a radio spot, play or TV commercial, limit the number of characters to no more than three. If you choose to develop a drawing, painting or sculpture, be sure to also develop a persuasive verbal explanation that you will present to the audience when you present the artwork. Step 3: Create your presentation Consider the persuasive techniques that you will use in your presentation. Research information about the animal you chose. Complete the Do Animals Matter? Planning Worksheet. Organize your information from the Do Animals Matter? Planning Worksheet into a presentation. Remember to focus on the goal: to convince others that the animal you have chosen is important, and they should care about the animal too! Step 4: Make your presentation Step 5: Have fun!
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Do Animals Matter? Planning Worksheet

Species of animal: ____________________________________________________________
Why is this animal special to you?
When did you first meet, see or hear about this animal?
Describe how you feel or felt when you saw this animal.
What would your life be like if you never knew about this animal?
How would the world and other people be different if this animal never existed?
How has this animal made you a better person?
Why should other people care about this animal?
The form of presentation you are using (ex: TV ad, brochure, etc.):_______________________
Persuasive technique you are using:__________________________________________________
Things to include in your presentation: Important facts Possible hooks (or positive points) Persuasive techniques
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Persuasive Project Rubric

4 Presentation is cleverly and uniquely presented. Demonstrates great creativity. Information is accurate and complete. 3 Presentation is cleverly or uniquely presented. Demonstrates creativity. Information is accurate but not entirely complete. Presentation is visually and auditorily appealing. 2 The presentation is somewhat creative. 1 The presentation lacks creativity.
Creativity
Information
Presentation is uniquely Visual/Auditory visually/ Appeal auditorily appealing. Interesting use of persuasive techniques.
Information is somewhat accurate and somewhat complete. Presentation is somewhat visually/ auditorily appealing. Use of persuasive techniques is weak.
Information is mostly inaccurate and incomplete. Presentation has little visual/auditory appeal.
Persuasive Techniques
Adequate use of persuasive techniques.
No persuasive techniques were used.
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Do Animals Matter? Lesson Plan

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Do Animals Matter? Lesson Plan

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Do Animals Matter?

Grades: Ages: Time:

2009 American Humane Association