Syllabus Title:
The Canine Connection
 
Instructor:
Sandy Beck

Semester:
Spring 2003
 
Content Area:
Interdisciplinary -- Biology/Language Arts/Visual Arts/Math/Social Studies/Geography
 
Instructional Level:
Gifted students, grades 1 - 5
 
Course Overview:

Canine Connection is a class for students who love dogs and want to learn more about them and help them. Each week students will study canine-related issues. Some of the issues they will explore are: evolution and breed history, anatomy, overpopulation, health and safety, intelligence and communication, dogs' needs and feelings, training, extraordinary behavior and service animals. They will get involved in projects that will help the animals they love and teach other kids and adults how to help make this a more compassionate world.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

- identify and utilize professional advertising practices to develop an effective public relations campaign (knowledge, application, synthesis)
- use math skills to discover the reproduction possibilities of unneutered and unspayed dogs (knowledge, application)
- gather information, then use graphs to visualize and determine trends (comprehension, application, synthesis, evaluation)
- effectively use persuasive writing (comprehension, application, synthesis)
- write creatively for personal understanding and growth (comprehension, application, synthesis)
- develop an intelligence test, then use it an an instrument to evaluate the intelligence of an animal (application, synthesis, evaluation)
- utilize primary (local experts) as well as secondary resources (books, pamphlets, Internet web sites) in their research. (application, synthesis)
- demonstrate basic hand and voice commands in dog obedience training (knowledge, comprehension)
- exhibit the physical behavior and mental preparation required to deal with an aggressive dog (knowledge, application, analysis, synthesis)
- use conflict resolution techniques to effectively mediate hypothetical scenarios (application, synthesis, evaluation)
- feel the empowerment to change the world that comes with being a thoughtful, concerned and compassionate citizen! (synthesis, evaluation)

EXPLORATORY ACTIVITIES (TYPE I)
Students will:

- analyze Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and what an organism requires in terms of habitat (food, water, shelter and space), then apply this to dogs
- listen to various experts discuss the following topics: dog overpopulation, pet health and safety, canine evolution and breed history, canine anatomy, animal intelligence and communication, dogs' needs and feelings, animal training, extraordinary and service animals, animal cruelty
- view selected videos about above topics
- read various publications -- articles, brochures, books -- about above topics.
- explore related Internet sites
- determine the cause/effect roles played out by animals and humans
- explore ways that humans can create a more compassionate world for all living beings
- read about and discuss current, relevant issues
- in small groups, collect data and share with whole class
- in small groups, brainstorm problems and solutions and share with whole class
- visit the Leon-Community Animal Service Center
- identify effective techniques used in advertising and public relations
- identify effective techniques used in persuasive writing
- identify effective techniques used in conflict resolution

TRAINING ACTIVITIES (Type II)

- participate in relevant hands-on activities and brainstorming after each guest speaker's presentation and the field trip
- use critical thinking skills to develop educational displays
- use organizational, computer, and creative writing skills to produce stories and letters
- work together to collect food, towels, and other items to benefit Shelter animals

STUDENT PRODUCTS (Type III)

- Educational displays and posters
- A pet album, including students' photos and stories
- Letters to the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper and county and city commissioners about animal welfare issues
- An animal intelligence test
- A display incorporating the student-made intelligence-testing instrument, testing procedures, and testing results (of their own animal)

TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION

Internet web browser, Explorer
E-mail
Word-processing
Photography
Video

COMMUNITY RESOURCES UTILIZED

- Jan Collier, Education Director and Volunteer Coordinator, Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center
- Debra Everington, Pet Therapy Trainer and her dog
- Sandy Davidson, Tallahassee Dog Obedience Club and her dog
- Maggie Beck, Weimaraner extraordinaire and Buddy Beck, black lab mix extraordinaire and recent "graduate" from the Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center

PRODUCT SHARING ACTIVITIES

- Educational displays and posters displayed at the Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center, as well as at Astoria Park Elementary School
- Posters photographed, then scanned and published on the Wild Classroom web site
- Letters about animal welfare issues sent to the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper and county and city commissioners

The Canine Connection

The Wild Classroom