AnimalSmart™ Intermediate Presentations
(Grades 7-8)
Theme 1: Being the Change – Caring for animals and their well-being.
Content:
In our Theme 1 presentations, students will embark on a compassionate journey with us as we explore ways to create a positive impact on the lives of animals in need and promote their well-being through community engagement. Through collaborative discussions and sharing personal experiences, students will discover the impact they have on the well-being of animals and the communities they live in.
Learning Objectives:
Upon successful completion of Theme 1, intermediate students will be able to:
- Understand the importance of their local Ontario SPCA and Humane Society and how they support animals in their community
- Identify the five animal freedoms and what humane treatment should look like
- Cultivate empathy for animals
- Provide solutions to scenario-based questions on how best to keep animals and
themselves safe - Promote responsible actions to be an animal advocate
Curriculum Connections:
- Social-emotional learning skills
- Transferable literacy skills
- Broader curriculum ties to science
Theme 2: The Emotional Lives of Animals – Examining empathy through animal feelings.
Content:
In our Theme 2 presentation, all about animal feelings, students will explore the fascinating world of animal communication and emotional expression. Through observation and discussion, students will gain deeper insight into how animals convey their emotions, whether through body language, vocalizations, or behaviour, and how we, as humans, can learn to understand and respond to these signals with empathy and care. This presentation also encourages students to reflect on the emotional connections between humans and animals, highlighting the importance of compassion, trust, and respectful interaction.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of Theme 2, students will be able to:
- Understand the importance of their local Ontario SPCA and Humane Society and how they support animals in their community
- Identify different ways animals communicate their emotions, including through posture, vocal cues, and behaviour
- Discuss appropriate and respectful responses to an animal’s emotional state (e.g., giving space to a nervous or frightened animal)
- Draw connections between the emotional experiences of humans and animals
- Cultivate empathy by seeing animals as sentient beings with emotions
- Strengthen interpersonal and relationship-building skills by understanding how trust is developed through consistent and kind actions—whether with
animals or people - Understand that animals’ emotional well-being is as important as their physical well-being
Curriculum Connections:
- Social-emotional learning skills
- Transferable literacy skills
- Broader curriculum ties to science