Interacting with animals

This lesson explores the relationship between humans and other animals. It encourages the students to consider what influences their views about animals and, in turn, how this may have an effect on their behaviour. The lesson provides a useful introduction to all the resources for key stages 3 and 4.

Curriculum objectives

Students should learn:

• to critically examine the different views on rights and responsibilities within society
• to consider how and why decisions about science and technology are made, including those that raise ethical decisions, and about the social, economic and environmental effects of such decisions.

Animal welfare objectives

Students should learn:

• that we interact with animals throughout our lives
• that there isn't a consensus view on which interactions with animals are acceptable and which are not
• that there are a number of different factors that can influence our views of acceptable and unacceptable interactions with animals
• that our views of acceptable and unacceptable interactions can have an effect on our behaviour.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this lesson:

• most students will: be able to explain how their own lives interact with those of animals, and which interactions they believe are acceptable and which are not. They can identify the criteria they are using to make these decisions and understand how their views may have an effect on their behaviour. They are able to suggest some reasons why different viewpoints may be both beneficial and harmful to both animals and humans
• some students will not have made as much progress and will: be able to describe some ways in which their own lives interact with those of animals and whether they agree with these interactions. They can provide some reasons for their decisions and are able to identify in individual examples how two conflicting views can affect both the animals and humans involved
• some students will have progressed further and will: be able to identify and explain the variety of influences on people's attitudes towards animals and the consequences of these for society.