Let TeachKind Help You—With Our Virtual Lessons and Activities
In the past few months, teachers and other education professionals have had to adopt alternative methods of teaching for the safety and well-being of themselves and their students. In an effort to support educators during this time, we at TeachKind have adapted our methods of promoting compassion for animals to suit the needs of a virtual classroom. We’ve created a series of videos to provide educators and parents with empathy-promoting lessons—including compassionate stories read aloud by TeachKind staffers who have prior classroom experience, a rhetorical analysis of PETA’s most powerful ads, a presentation from Ellie the animatronic elephant, and a demonstration involving the future of frog dissection. We anticipate creating more virtual lessons in the coming months.
TEACHKIND’S READ-ALOUDS AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Share the videos below with your students and use the corresponding lessons afterward.
Hey, Little Ant
Use this lesson to promote kindness to all animals, big or small.
How to Heal a Broken Wing
Use this lesson to inspire students to speak up for animals in need.
Our Farm
Use this lesson to help students understand that sheep are individuals and why it’s cruel to buy and wear wool.
Junebug: No Life Too Small
TeachKind and PETA Kids teamed up with Nicole Daniels, author of Junebug: No Life Too Small, to encourage kids to show kindness and respect for all living beings, including insects. This virtual read-aloud includes a sneak peek at the book, original songs about being kind to bugs, arts and crafts projects, and more.
ENGAGE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS VIRTUALLY
- Analyze some of PETA’s most powerful ads with our Executive Vice President:
TeachKind teamed up with our very own Tracy Reiman, PETA’s executive vice president, to take a look at some of the organization’s most powerful ad campaigns and explain how carefully chosen words and images can be used to challenge beliefs about animals. As your class studies rhetoric and persuasive writing, have students watch this video, in which Tracy breaks down the decisions that went into creating and placing eye-catching PETA advertisements and explains how language can be used to advance the animal rights movement. Have students discuss the in-video questions as a class, in small groups, or in pairs.
THE FUTURE OF HUMANE EDUCATION
- Meet Ellie, an animatronic elephant who teaches students the importance of having empathy for everyone and standing up to bullies:
Use this lesson for students in grades K–2 to discuss the importance of choosing inclusive language when talking about animals. Use this lesson for students in grades 3–5 to discuss the importance of considering not just animals’ basic needs but also their unique desires.
- Meet Delle, a life-size robotic dolphin whose larger-than-life personality and message of compassion are captivating—and empowering—young audiences. You can see her here in “Dolphin Adventure,” hosted by TeachKind and Edge Innovations:
Use this lesson for students in grades K–2 to discuss the importance of choosing inclusive language when talking about animals. Use this lesson for students in grades 3–5 to discuss the importance of considering not only animals’ basic needs but also their unique wants.
- There’s a new Kahoot! game called Our Food Choices and Their Impact on the Earth, created by TeachKind’s 2020 Teacher of the Year, Nina Otazo! She highlights the impact that eating animals has on our health and the environment in this eight-question quiz.
Use this activity as a warm-up before delving into our debate kit about animal agriculture and the environment or in conjunction with related topics and activities.
- Check out SynFrog and see how this synthetic frog can help real animals and students alike:
Use our Fast Facts and Comparative Anatomy worksheets to ensure that students get the most out of this one-of-a-kind virtual lesson.
DIGITAL WORKSHEETS
We’ve also made digital versions of some of our worksheets, which can be completed online. Printing our resources may not be a viable option for some at this time, so we’re offering them in this format in order to help engage students and promote our message of compassion for all. Check out this list—students can download the worksheets and type their responses into text boxes.
Pre-K–2
- Amazing ‘Arctic Animals’ Printable Mini-Book and Activity
- Baby Love
- Cows Have Fur—and Feelings
- Pigeons Have Plumage—and Personality
- Snakes Have Scales—and Senses, Too!
- Grammar Packet: Compassionate Nouns
- Grammar Packet: Compassionate Verbs
- What Winter Is Like When You’re a ‘Backyard Dog’
- Plant Seeds of Kindness in Your Students This Spring
Grades K–2
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Herman the Duckling
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Pickles the Rabbit
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Florence the Cat
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Idabelle’s Great Escape
Grades 3–5
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Freddie on the Run
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Jake’s Recovery
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Rescued Rats Find New Home
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Christmas the Puppy’s First Holiday
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Get Ready to Fall in Love With Esther the Wonder Pig
Grades 6–8
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Lucky and the Man Who Saved Her
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Miss Willie’s Bucket List
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Mayflower the Turkey, a Thanksgiving Story
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Rescued Camels Meet Their Soulmates—Each Other
Grades 9–12
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Songwriter Diane Warren Helps 4-H Student Save Lamb From Slaughter
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: PETA Honors Teens Who Rescued a Suffering Squirrel
- TeachKind Rescue Stories: Hotel Chain Ends Fish-Rental Program With PETA’s Help
‘Share the World’ Curriculum Kit
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