An Introduction to Animal Education

Outreach.An Information Pack in Power Point

Format.www.animaleducationoutreach.weebly.com/

Animal Education Outreach

About. Animal Education Outreach (AEO) was

formed in 2011.

Purpose: to develop and distribute educational materials that address animal use and treatment.

AEO officers are experienced in presenting school talks , employing all the modern educational aids such as DVDs, Power Point slide shows and supporting literature, in order to explore the range of views about human relations with other animals. 

Animal Education Outreach produces materials for all levels of

the Irish school curriculum.

PRE-SCHOOLPRIMARYJUNIORSENIOR

“Pre-school” (ages 4-5-6).Even at this early level, children are expected to begin to

gently engage with learning that is focused on citizenship issues such as "attitudes and values" and "relationships with others."

Children often have strong relations with animals such as pets and those they meet in storybooks and films - at this age, nonhuman animals are friends, companions and even mentors.

Animal Education Outreach's materials for this level cater for the sensitivities of children at this age. We focus, for example, on issues of fairness in our relations with others and ask the question, what does that mean with respect to our interactions with animals.

examples….

The “Categories or Group Game” and Colour me in!

The “Categories or Group Game.” Pre-school children learn through

play and exploration. Our “Categories or Group Game” starts with the children identifying animals whose names begin with a certain letter and the children who guess correctly are invited to stand at the front of the class with their “animal cards.” The rest of the class then place the representative children into different categories such as “pets,” “animals we see in circuses and zoos,” “animals we eat,” and “animals we wear.”

We gently explore the notion that these categories are cultural and see how people in different places and times use different types of animals.

“Being fair.”

Young children often develop their moral ideas about what is right and what is wrong by thinking about fair treatment.

Notions of “being fair” are central to teaching ethical ideas at this early stage.

Our presentations encourage children to think what “being fair” means in our relations with each other and nonhuman animals.

Primary (ages 6-12)

Again with a sensitivity to the needs and moral and social development of this age group, Animal Education

Outreach has created a range of age-appropriate educational materials.

Within educational units in strands entitled, "Myself," "Myself and Others," and "Myself and the Wider World," the broad objectives of the SPHE curriculum includes enabling children to "make decisions, solve problems and take appropriate actions in various personal, social and health contexts," to begin an awareness of the "various influences on choices and decisions" (such as social movements, businesses and advertising), to "begin to identify, review and evaluate the values and attitudes that are held by individuals and society," to "recognise that these affect thoughts and actions," and to "promote the values of a just and caring society."

examples…

Categories (plus) We also feature the Categories

Game in the early years of primary level. However, the ethical questions are a little more developed – for example, we may explore whether animals are “happy” in zoos and circuses; if the children have thought about how “circus animals” are trained; what’s the difference between “pet” animals and “food” animals, etc.

Dependent on age, we may ask what’s strange or “wrong” about the following picture…

10

Animals used for meat…

Share the World

For older children at primary level, we have a 25-minute DVD, Share the World, introduced by Babe star James Cromwell and exploring themes such as “animals and their feelings,” and “the amazing world of animals.”

[individual sections of the DVD pose questions for the children to answer in “discussion times.”]

Worksheets on various subjects are also available for all years of the primary stage. From getting children to begin their own “animal fact file” to stories about a pig who rescued a boy and a family who rescued a crow to yes-no questionnaires about zoos .

Some worksheets suggest essay questions for the older children at primary level.

examples….

Some points to help you write these essays.

Animal Education Outreach.

Choose an Essay Title.

1.Would it be wrong to eat whale meat or dog meat?

2.Where should we draw the line about what we eat?

3.Why do we pet some animals and eat others?

In Korea and other countries, dogs are bred to be killed and eaten. In China, it is quite possible to have flesh from monkeys in a meal. In Japan, whale meat is eaten, while in France and other European countries, horse flesh is consumed.

How do you feel about this?

Is it right?

Should it be allowed?

Would you eat the flesh of these animals? Why – or why not?

In Ireland, we eat the parts of chickens, pigs, cows, and sheep. These animals have a lot in common with whales, monkeys, dogs, and horses.

All these nonhuman animals can feel pain, and they are individuals who can suffer and who have preferences. Pigs are regarded as more intelligent than dogs, while cows are gently giants.

If people feel it is wrong to eat whales, dogs, monkeys and horses, should they think more about the nonhuman animals they do eat?

WHAT’S

THE

DIFFERENCE?

Junior (ages 12-15).

For the junior levels, when a fuller examination of contemporary social and moral issues is expected within the curriculum, we present a range of views relating to human-nonhuman relations that include versions of animal welfare and animal rights. 

There are different views on these subjects.  For example, proponents of animal welfare emphasise the welfare advantages of “free-range beef” over “factory farmed beef” production, while animal rightists would criticise all animal use.  All of these points impact not only on the health and diet choices of children but also on their ethical choices as well. 

  Animal Education Outreach offers the opportunity to promote the active learning which is

essential to the curriculum by facilitating the exploration of issues, the acquisition of knowledge and the development of skills appropriate to this age group that are relevant to the social, personal and health dimensions of their lives.  AEO presenters encourage students to recognise values and develop positive attitudes in relation to themselves, other people and the wider world. 

  Animal Education Outreach aims to help pupils to explore, analyse and evaluate human-

nonhuman issues and consequently to help them acquire the skills of moral and critical appraisal integral to completion of the Junior Certificate.

Junior.

Junior level.

The level of ethical assessment reflected in the curriculum allows us to introduce more challenging materials for the juniors.

Junior level.Animal Education Outreach is busy

producing our own unique DVDs which

show Irish footage of relevant issues.

These are mini-films to facilitate their use in

class.

There are also a variety of commercial DVDs

and CD-ROMs available to schools for projects.

Senior (age 15-18). Our senior materials are most

obviously relevant to the Leaving Certificate (Applied) programme but we also cater for the Leaving Certificate (Established), the Transition Year and the Vocational programme.

Teaching criteria within the LC (Established) programme includes Home Economics and issues such as, factors affecting food choices, current food habits and trends, maintaining a healthy body weight, and the Irish food industry.

Senior.The LC (Established) programme in Home Economics also looks at the issue of diet and food requirements.  This looks at a range of human diseases, including osteoporosis, which are associated with the consumption of animal products. 

The module also looks at various food regimes such as lacto-vegetarian, and vegan.

Senior Student Tasks (STs) are used as a means of integrating courses, and schools

support provide a Programme Co-ordinator who oversees the management and planning of STs. The STs that are most relevant in terms of the expertise of the Animal Education Outreach presenters are the Contemporary Issue Task, the Practical Achievement Task and the Personal Reflection Task.

The Contemporary Issue Task requires the student to conduct and complete an investigation into, and to take action in relation to, a contemporary issue of social significance in the local, national and/or global community…

The investigation should help the student to develop her/his awareness and understanding of the different dimensions of the particular issue chosen e.g. social, political, civic, economic and cultural dimensions. Students can choose topics that are of interest to them and should, conduct an investigation, develop skills of planning and recording, understanding an issue in greater depth, understand an issue in a broader context, undertake an action and develop skills of reflection and evaluation.

Senior There is no doubt that human-nonhuman

relations pose a number of contemporary issues and these are played out at all levels, local, national and global. 

Whether students are interested in animal rights, animal welfare, the environmental impact of agriculture, or health issues, Animal Education Outreach has relevant materials and speakers.

We are able to assist students meet required criteria at senior level, such as:

The issue selected must be a contemporary issue of social significance.

The issue may be local, national or global in scope.

The issue must be linked to one or more of the key concepts and/or themes of the Social Education course e.g. equality, gender, health, relationships, conflict, law, community, democracy, development, social justice, human rights and responsibilities, active citizenship, forces/interests (media, pressure groups, lobbying).

The student is expected to be able to make connections between the issue they are investigating and other related issues and contexts.

SeniorThe Practical Achievement Task.

The Practical Achievement Task is undertaken over a three-month period.  This ST is geared towards students gaining a strong sense of achievement and can include "undertaking an initiative."

This initiative could, for example, involve being vegan for a month, and/or organising a vegan fair or event, such as organising a film night or debate.

 

The Personal Reflection Task.

The Personal Reflection Task, as the name suggests, is a reflexive exercise the students engage in.  They should ask themselves, what was I like before this experience?, what did I expect of this experience?, what was the experience actually like?, what have I learned about myself from this experience? and, how has this affected my outlook and plans for the future?

Animal Education Outreach has a number of filmed debates and documentaries which we can make available

to senior classes.

Senior level. Text Resources.

Animal Education Outreach has access to extensive text resources which we can make available in photocopied form to senior students engaged in study relevant to human-nonhuman relations.

Text Resources.

Our text resources cover a wide range of relevant subjects.

Text resources.

Especially in the fields of animal rights, animal welfare and social movement theory.

Animal Education Trust.

http://animaleducationoutreach.weebly.com/animaleducationoutreach@topmail.ie

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