Animal Shelter Outreach

Grade Level: 6-8

Academic Areas: Social Studies, Mathematics

Duration of service: Semester-long

Character Virtues: Giving, Caring, Civic Virtue and Citizenship

Service Areas: Human Services, Public Safety

Learning Goal: Students will apply their knowledge of measurement to convert recipes in order to create large scale production of dog biscuits.

Standard: MST (3)

Learning Goal: Students will create a profile of animal species and their geographic distribution.

Standard: SS (3)

Community need: Lack of ample supplies in animal shelters.

Possible Community Partners: Local animal shelters or humane societies and surrounding neighborhoods.

Objective: Students will make dog biscuits and deliver them to the shelter.

Objective: Students will run a collection drive to gather materials/supplies that are lacking at the shelter.

Objective: Students will contribute time at the shelter performing tasks such as dog walking and general nurturing.

Virtue: Giving /Civic Virtue and Citizenship

Objective: Students will provide supplemental food and supplies for animals in need. Students will also donate their time by assisting shelters with their various responsibilities.

Virtue: Caring

Objective: Students will provide vital nurturing to otherwise neglected animals.

1. Students will meet to discuss and brainstorm ideas for ways to supplement the deficits of supplies/materials at a local animal shelter as a way of extending themselves to a meaningful cause in the community.
2. Students will contact a local humane society/shelter to obtain data on their areas of need and the breeds of animals currently residing at the shelter.
3. Students will develop a plan to implement a collection drive to gather needed supplies.
4. Students will research dietary needs of various breeds to ensure proper nutrition. Students will also research recipes to meet those dietary needs.

 Key Service Activities

1. Students will write letters to family and friends asking for donations of needed supplies while explaining their purpose and their concern for the betterment of their community.
2. Students will use obtained information to bake biscuit treats for animals at the shelter.
3. Students will collect needed supplies through a planned community collection drive and deliver these items, along with the biscuits, to the shelter. Students will periodically visit the shelter to deliver any new items and tend to the needs of the animals.
4. Students will take photos of the events at the shelter and create a hallway mural depicting the interactions that took place during the project. Their research on animal profiles will also be displayed.

1. (oral) Students will discuss what it means to care for and about an animal and how that compares to caring for a person.
2. (written) Students will create a list of ways the community demonstrates caring towards animals.
3. (performance) Students will create a web of ways the project has contributed to the community.

Students will mentor a younger partner class within their district and take them on a field trip to the shelter to meet the animals they have been helping. Students will explain what they’ve been doing, the responsibilities of owning and caring for a pet, and allow the children time to get to know the animals. Parents would be invited to attend the field trip as chaperones.