Many teachers add a bit of life to their classes by including a guinea pig, turtle or other creature as the classroom pet. While these additional classmates may be fun for kids to care for, with a little effort, a richer curriculum that cultivates compassion and a deeper appreciation for animals and nature is possible, with the potential result of creating a future animal and nature-friendly society.

If you’re not a teacher, volunteering to help with the activities below would be welcomed by many a teacher.

• Animals can be celebrated in a classroom by covering a portion of a wall or floor or having blackboard trim that includes collages made of magazine photos, paintings of favorite animals and photos from an animal-shelter field trip. Images of animals in their natural habitat are best.
• Have your class research animal species or parts of the world that need help. Form a relationship with an organization that is actively helping that species or part of the world by receiving their newsletter or doing a fundraiser to support their efforts.
• Instead of going to a zoo, a trip to, or a film about, an animal sanctuary or an animal-free circus would provide an opportunity to discuss humane treatment of animals and alternatives to confining animals to captivity for entertainment purposes.
• If you are an animal lover, perhaps you could help create a Junior Humane Society Club as an afterschool elective. The club could engage in activities such as organizing pet food drives, raising funds for animal relief during natural disasters or for a local organization that helps animals or their habitats. Clubs can also perform a play or concert to raise animal awareness.
• KIND News, a monthly publication produced by the National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (NAHEE), is available to K-6 classrooms in North America. This resource is full of articles, celebrity interviews, puzzles, project ideas and other items of interest aimed at inspiring respect for animals and positive action.

Other Resources
farmsanctuary
nahee
nwf.org
savethemanatee