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This educational program introduces students to pet care, animal habitats, and the differences between domestic and wild animals. The interactive field trip helps children learn valuable skills while having fun and building background knowledge about various animals. Through hands-on experiences and discussions, students will identify qualities of good and bad pets, understand the importance of community resources in pet care, and explore terms like habitat and domestic versus wild animals. The trip includes tours of the Small Animal, Reptile, and Fish Departments, along with engaging discussions on animal welfare and safety practices. Assessment methods include reflections, art projects, graphs, and group discussions, catering to diverse learning styles. By connecting with resources like the Humane Society and relevant literature, this program fosters cross-curricular connections and promotes responsible animal care among students.
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Megan Kuczmarski Renee Luczkowski Carrie Burklund Shannon Jackson John Westfall
Goals / Objectives • Introduction: discussion • What makes a good pet? • The students will learn how to properly take care of their pets • The students will understand the difference between domesticated and wild animals Alligators are wild animals and make bad pets!
Outcomes • Children will learn that community resources are valuable and helpful when taking care of pets • Children will identify the qualities of both good and bad pets • Children will be able to explain the differences between domestic and wild animals Chinchillas are wild animals and make bad pets!
Camouflage: when animals blend into their surroundings (fish) Reptile: cold-blooded vertebrates with scaly skin that lay eggs (snakes) Nocturnal: animals that are mainly active at night (hamsters) Amphibian: cold-blooded vertebrates with moist skin that can live both on land and in water (frogs) Habitat: an animal’s home Domestic: animals usually kept as pets (dogs and cats) Wild: animals that are not tame and live in the wild in natural habitats (alligators) These terms (which may be introduced in class before going on the field trip) will be covered during the field trip’s tour and will help the students build background knowledge about a variety of animals These terms will also help the students answer the driving question “What makes a good pet?” Terms
Examples: All animals are cared for in the same way=wrong! Different types of attention is needed for various animals Any animal would make a good classroom and/or household pet=wrong! Hamsters are nocturnal and sleep during the day while wild animals such as alligators may be dangerous to own Goldfish are the only kinds of fish that people have for pets=wrong! There are many different types of fish that can be bought for aquariums besides goldfish Correcting misconceptions: seeing is believing Misconceptions
School bus: cost of transportation varies Tour: $50 for the first 20 people and $2 for every additional person Includes: 1 ½ hour hands-on tour of the Small Animal, Reptile, and Fish Departments 3 to 5 chaperones plus 2 teachers are needed (exact numbers depend on the age of the students) Store is wheelchair accessible: exceptional needs bus or a parent chaperone will accommodate any students with special needs Costs and Special Considerations
Field trip permission slip Waiver of liability First Aid kit Cell phone with emergency contact information Medical knowledge/ allergies of the students A safety discussion with the students will include the importance of: Treating the animals humanely Respecting the animals in their environments Washing hands after handling animals Safety
Significance It is important that the students are able to learn hands-on in an interactive environment that reinforces the concepts learned in class. In this way, the students are able to construct background knowledge about various animals (both domestic and wild) that may or may not make good pets. In gaining information about how to properly and humanely care for pets, the students are learning useful skills that are both applicable and relevent to their lives. In addition, this field trip would be quite fun and motivating for the students, too!
Both formal and informal assessment will be used For a formal assessment, the students may: Write a reflection on their favorite animal (language arts) Draw pictures or create models of animals (art) Create a bar graph of their pets at home or their favorite animals from the field trip (math) Make a chart, poster, or Venn diagram that shows the differences between wild and domestic animals (visual learners) Discuss what was learned from the field trip (auditory learners) Informal assessment checklists may include: Making sure that the students properly understand and can explain the terms Ensuring that the students can answer questions the teacher may ask them about the material learned on the field trip Assessment and Cross-curricular Connections
Humane Societyhttp://hsus.org/ Arthur and the School Pet, by Marc Brown Chameleon’s Colors, by Chisato Tashiro and Marianne Martens Birds: How to Choose and Care for a Bird & Dogs: How to Choose and Care for a Dog, by Laura S. Jeffrey National Geographic Encyclopedia of Animals, by Staff of National Geographic and George McKay Animals by Day and Night, by Cristiano Bertolucci, Alessandro Bartolozzi, and Francesco Milo Literature
