Oct. 3, 2007: Give Them Shelter

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in the Rocky Mountain News. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers. Click here to learn about subscribing to the eEdition at no cost to you (for Colorado teachers).

Activities:

1. Draw a large picture of an animal shelter. Include at least five different animals in your drawing. Be sure to include pictures of animal food and play equipment. Draw some volunteers working with animals in your picture.

2. Make a list of five things you can do that show you are good to your pet.

3. Look through the newspaper to find three people and five items that would be useful in an animal shelter. Look in the display ads for food and equipment. Look in the classified ads or news stories to find people who have the skills and personal qualities necessary to work with animals.

4. What comic strip characters are animal friendly? Find a comic strip character you think would be a good person to (a) walk dogs, (b) build equipment for the shelter, (c) play with different kinds of animals, and (d) be in charge of organizing food and activities at the shelter. Explain your choices.

5. Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about animal cruelty laws and different kinds of animal rescue programs or shelters. Use these questions to guide your research: What kinds of laws do different communities or states have about treating animals humanely? What kind of punishment can people get if they are cruel to animals? What kinds of shelters are in your community? How are the shelters funded? Use your research to write a paragraph supporting the protection of animals in your community.

This week's standards:

• Students demonstrate the ability to identify and apply practices that preserve and enhance the safety and health of self and others. (Character Education)
• Students understand the interactions of animals and their environments. (Science: Life Science)
• Students know the sources of responsibility, examples of situations involving responsibility and some of the benefits of fulfilling responsibilities. (Character Literacy)
  
  

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)