Helping Animals Together

Overview

Unit: Choices for a Better World
Lesson: 4 of 5
Duration: 30 minutes
Class size: 10 students
Age group: Year 7 (11-12 years old)
Subject: PSHE
Topic: Caring for animals and how our choices affect animal welfare

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Curriculum Links

This lesson plan aligns with the National Curriculum for England, specifically:

PSHE Association Programme of Study (Key Stage 3 - Years 7-9)

• Health and Wellbeing:

  • Recognise the link between personal choices, health and wellbeing for humans and animals.
  • Understand how to show care and concern for others including animals.

• Living in the Wider World:

  • Explore how individuals and groups can contribute to community wellbeing.
  • Understand how choices have social and environmental consequences.

Core competencies addressed

• Critical thinking
• Empathy and compassion
• Communication and discussion skills
• Community engagement awareness

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:

1. Explain how human choices affect animal welfare at local and global levels.
2. Identify some practical ways individuals and communities can support animal welfare.
3. Reflect on how caring for animals connects to wider social responsibility.
4. Communicate ideas clearly in group discussions and contribute to a shared plan.

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Resources Needed

• Contact and arrange a local animal shelter visit OR guest speaker from animal welfare organisation (virtual or in-person)
• Whiteboard/flip chart and markers
• Post-it notes or small slips of paper
• Printed worksheet: "How Can We Help Animals?" (24cm x 18cm, includes brainstorming prompts and space for ideas)
• Pens/pencils

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Title: Quick Think – Animal Welfare Choices

• Pupils write down one way their family can help animals at home or in the community (e.g., adopting pets, recycling to reduce pollution, supporting shelters).
• Share 3-4 examples aloud, connecting these to personal responsibility.
• Introduce the focus of today’s lesson: exploring how our choices impact animals and how we can get involved in helping them.

2. Main Activity (15 minutes)

Title: Shelter Visit / Guest Speaker Session

• The visitor (or class digital session if a live visit is not possible) shares:
  • The role of the shelter/organisation.
  • Common challenges animals face (abandonment, illness, habitat loss).
  • How individuals can help (e.g., volunteering, donations, spreading awareness, adopting responsibly).
• Pupils encouraged to ask 3-4 prepared questions focusing on what the shelter needs from the community and how young people can help.
• Teacher facilitates, adding clarifications and linking ideas back to social responsibility and choices affecting wellbeing.

3. Reflection and Brainstorm (8 minutes)

Title: Brainstorming Ways to Help Animals Locally

• On the whiteboard/flip chart, pupils list ideas in response to:
  • “What can we do as a class or community to support animals?”
  • Encourage a range of ideas: awareness campaigns, fundraising, volunteering, habitat projects, or kindness at home.
• Pupils work in pairs to develop one idea and write a short action plan (who, what, when).
• Each pair shares their plan briefly (30 seconds per pair).

4. Plenary (2 minutes)

Title: Personal Commitment

• Pupils write down one personal choice they will make this week to help animals (e.g., telling family about shelter, helping local wildlife).
• Collect these to revisit in the final lesson as part of a class commitment display.

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Assessment

• Formative: Teacher observes participation during the question session and group brainstorming, noting understanding of animal welfare impacts.
• Summative: Pupil action plans and personal commitments demonstrate ability to apply learning to practical contexts.
• Reflection: Quick verbal feedback from pupils on what they learnt from the visitor and the brainstorming session.

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Extension Ideas (if time permits or as homework)

• Research a local animal charity and find ways to support it.
• Create posters or social media posts to raise awareness about animal welfare.
• Organise a mini fundraising event or collection within school.

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Notes for Teacher

• Ensure the visitor or speaker talks in age-appropriate language and provides real-life examples relatable to Year 7.
• Prepare pupils beforehand with vocal encouragement to ask relevant questions.
• Emphasise connections between animal welfare, community, and individual choices to foster both empathy and civic responsibility.
• Consider using visuals or videos from the shelter if a visit or live speaker is not possible.

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This lesson builds on Year 7 PSHE’s focus on wellbeing and responsible choices, embedding empathy for animals and linking to wider social responsibility, supporting pupils to become thoughtful global citizens.