#2813. Share the World

Social Studies, level: Elementary
Posted Wed Feb 12 03:52:51 PST 2003 by Kate Fowler (katef@petaref.org.uk).

PETA Research & Education Foundation, UK
Materials Required: The pack which is available free from info@STWAustralia.org
Activity Time: as much or little as needed
Concepts Taught: Sharing, caring, fairness, understanding others' points of view

Either visit www.sharetheworld.org.uk to see the lessons online (you can order a hard copy from the site) or email us directly as info@STWAustralia.org. The pack is FREE and consists of a resource book (full colour) an A1 classroom poster and a wonderful video.

One example:
Zoos: Prison or Paradise?

Below are 14 statements about zoos.

1. Zoos are not a good place for animals to live. Their food, the weather and the habitat (home) are all unnatural.
2. Zoos are the best place for us to learn about wild animals because most people can't afford to go and see them in the wild.
3. The best place to learn about wild animals is from watching programmes like Blue Peter, where they show animals roaming free in the wild.
4. Zoos are good because they keep the animals safe from other animals and from people who might want to kill them.
5. Zoos exist to provide entertainment for people and to make money. The health and happiness of the animals always come second.
6. There is always a vet on call at a zoo so animals can be treated when they become ill.
7. Most zoo animals don't die of old age but die a lot earlier than they would in the wild because their cages stop them living a natural life.
8. Zoos are important because they save animals who are in danger of dying out (becoming extinct).
9. When there are too many animals in a zoo, they are killed or sent to circuses or to other zoos abroad. These zoos may be very bad.
10. Animals in zoos have nothing to worry about--they are fed regularly and don't even have to worry about finding water.
11. Sometimes animals go crazy from being locked up. They might pace up and down all day or twist their heads in a circle over and over again.
12. If zoos closed down, the animals in them would have nowhere to go. They couldn't survive in the wild as they have lived all their lives in captivity.
13. Animals in zoos are like people in prison except the animals have done nothing wrong.
14. Zoos are a fun place for people to go and are better than sitting in front of the television.

Teachers' Note: Write these statements out on cards, giving one card to each pair of pupils. With their partner, pupils should discuss the statement on their card, consider whether the opposite might be true and finally decide what they think the truth is. They should then put their argument to the class, giving both sides, and state why they think zoos are good or bad. After the class has heard all the arguments, they can vote on whether they think zoos are 'prison' or 'paradise'.