Helping our community

Donating to the Animal SheltersA Multi-age Service Learning Project

*Helping Our Community

*Problem *There is a big need in the German communities that host our United States military for animal/pet education. Many families abandon their pets when they leave because they are unable to rehome them with other families and they cannot afford to fly their pets back with them. The animals are then left behind, either let loose to roam the base or the villages or they are surrendered to the local animal shelters. In Germany, these are called Teirheims. Animals left behind on base are picked up by Military Police and taken to the Teirheims.

*Although this project is focusing on a community or local level, homeless and abandoned pets is a global issue. Locally, the issue has become so prominent that at one US Military base in Germany, the local Teirheim refuses to accept US member’s surrendered pets.

*Scope of Need

Students will learn about planning and communication by designing a service-learning project that will have beneficial value to the local animal shelters.

Students will become aware of the effects of animal abandonment in our military community and how this not only affects our military community but the local community.

Students will write and produce a public service announcement using a Web 2.0 tool and the announcement will be displayed for the entire school to view on the big screen television in the school foyer.

*Objectives

*DODEA Standards

Grade 3: Social Studies Standard 3SS3: Students draw from historical and community resources to describe how the events and the environment influence the growth and change of communities.

Grade 2: Social Studies Standard 2SS4: Students understand how the actions and integrity of individuals change the ways in which people in society work and live together.

Grade 1: Social Studies Standard 1SS4: Students explore and describe similarities and differences in the ways groups; societies and cultures address similar needs and concerns.

*CREaTeCognitive Complexity

C Level: Level 3

Justification with lesson examples: Students are asked to create and participate in a service-learning project that will benefit the military community they are living in.

Justification with CReaTE Framework: This is a teacher directed assignment that has students determining what service-learning projects they want to do, investigating the types of places that would benefit from the projects and evaluating their work when completed. The lesson will engage the students in learning to use a Web 2.0 tool to create a public service announcement.

*CREaTeReal World Learning

R Level: Level 3

Justification with lesson examples: Learning about serving one’s community has real world application because it demonstrates to children how we are all part of a community and we work together for the benefit all. Creating a public service announcement allows children to experience the role of creator and producer of an informational short film.

Justification with CReaTE Framework: It provides real life application using a topic that is a part of everyday life as well as simulating a real world career.

*CREaTeEngaged Learning

E Level: Level 3

Justification with lesson examples: The assignments associated with creating a service-learning project allow for children to become engaged with the content through hands-on activities that are related to the service-learning topic they have chosen.

Justification with CReaTE Framework: This is an initial teacher-directed assignment but the students themselves voted on the topic and the areas that are to be addressed. They guide all projects created within their group through discussion among themselves. Students are collaborating with their peers as well as partnering with their teachers to create a short public service announcement. Each group chooses how they are going to create their announcement using Animoto.

*CREaTeTechnology Integration

T Level: Level 3

Justification with lesson examples: This assignment has students writing and producing a 30 second public service announcement using Animoto. The service announcement will play on the school-wide television.

Justification with CReaTE Framework: This technology portion is not necessary to complete the service-learning project, but is considered an add-on activity. It is a collaborative piece as each team must work together to create their service announcement.

*Resources*http://

www.stripes.com/news/military-wants-harsher-consequences-for-abandoning-pets-1.172958

*http://www.operationwearehere.com/Pets.html

*http://www.humanesociety.org/parents_educators/service_learning_animal_protection.html

*http://www.kyhumane.org/give/volunteer/service-learning-projects-for-school

*http://www.projectwild.org/learning.htm

http://vpartlow.blogspot.de/

*Blog

*Collaboration

The multi-age team consists of three classrooms. The other classroom is participating in a service-project asking for donations of canned goods for the orphanage in Poland. The students are working together to help promote awareness of these two projects. Mrs. N. works closely with a Teirheim in her village and often coordinates with staff members to provide items for the pets in their shelter. The donations are only being asked for on a school-wide level at this time

Classroom discussion of the issue during large group time.Chart the different needs the Teirheims have.Break up into four teams, each team addressing a different donation request. Each team has a Team Leader and a Team Recorder.Large group discussion and examples of Slogans.Student will discuss and brainstorm within their group’s different slogans that will work for donation request.Students will create a poster that contains the slogan they choose. (Bedding for small animals, Litter for cats, Food for all animals, Blankets for all animals)Team recorders will search for pictures on the Internet to add to their posters. Two students will create the donation box that will be in the school foyer. Request for donations will also be added to the school’s Facebook page.During large group instruction in the computer lab, students will be guided through a tutorial on using Animoto. (Picking music, pictures, videos and text and then producing the video).Each group is assigned an adult to work with that specific group on using Animoto (teachers, high school student, computer technologist)Students will work together to create their project that reflects the purpose of the project and theme.When complete, project will be uploaded to the Intranet (school internet) to be played for the student body and visitors as they come into the school.

*Directions for Students

  4: Excellent 3: Good 2: Fair

Point of View - Purpose Establishes a purpose early on and maintains a clear focus throughout.

Establishes a purpose early on and maintains focus for most of the presentation.

There are a few lapses in focus, but the purpose is fairly clear.

Pacing The pace of the story is fluid and smooth. 

Occasionally speaks too fast or too slowly for the story line.

Tries to use pacing but it is often noticeable that the pacing does not fit the story line.

Pictures Pictures match different parts of the story.

Pictures create an atmosphere or tone that matches some parts of the story.

An attempt was made to use pictures to create an atmosphere/tone but it needed more work.

Detail The story is told with exactly the right amount of detail throughout. It does not seem too short nor does it seem too long.

The story composition is typically good, though it seems to drag somewhat OR need slightly more detail in one or two sections.

The story seems to need more editing. It is noticeably too long or too short in more than one section.

Grammar Grammar and usage were correct (for the dialect chosen) and contributed to clarity, style and character development.

Grammar and usage were typically correct (for the dialect chosen) and errors did not detract from the story.

Grammar and usage were typically correct but errors detracted from story.

*Assessment Rubric

The students in the multi-age class will write a reflection at the conclusion of the project. During large group discussion, the students will discuss what they have learned from this project. They always have the option of sharing with the class or passing. The teacher in this class always has the students write about what they have learned, what was their favorite part or ways that they project can be improved upon.

*Pupil Reflection

The students demonstrated to the other class the slogans they created and the signs they made to hang in the foyer. At the conclusion of the project, they will present the donated items to the animal shelter that will send a representative to the school to pick up the items.

*Demonstration