An introduction to the work of Dublin-based Animal Education Outreach in power point format.

1. An Introduction to
Animal Education
Outreach.
An Information Pack in Power Point Format.
www.animaleducationoutreach.weebly.com/

2. Animal Education Outreach
About.

Animal Education Outreach (AEO) was formed in
2011.

Purpose: to develop and distribute educational materials that address
animal use and treatment.

AEO officers are experienced in presenting school talks , employing all the
modern educational aids such as DVDs, Power Point slide shows and
supporting literature, in order to explore the range of views about human
relations with other animals.

3. Animal Education Outreach produces
materials for all levels of the Irish
school curriculum.
PRE-SCHOOL
PRIMARY
JUNIOR
SENIOR

4. “Pre-school” (ages 4-5-6).
Even at this early level, children are expected to begin to gently
engage with learning that is focused on citizenship issues such
as "attitudes and values" and "relationships with others."
Children often have strong relations with animals such as pets
and those they meet in storybooks and films - at this age,
nonhuman animals are friends, companions and even mentors.
Animal Education Outreach's materials for this level cater for the
sensitivities of children at this age. We focus, for example, on issues of
fairness in our relations with others and ask the question, what does
that mean with respect to our interactions with animals.
examples….

5. The “Categories or Group Game” and
Colour me in!

6. The “Categories or Group Game.”
 Pre-school children learn through play
and exploration. Our “Categories or
Group Game” starts with the children
identifying animals whose names begin
with a certain letter and the children
who guess correctly are invited to stand
at the front of the class with their
“animal cards.” The rest of the class
then place the representative children
into different categories such as “pets,”
“animals we see in circuses and zoos,”
“animals we eat,” and “animals we
wear.”
 We gently explore the notion that these
categories are cultural and see how
people in different places and times use
different types of animals.

7. “Being fair.”
Young children often develop their moral ideas about what is
right and what is wrong by thinking about fair treatment.
Notions of “being fair” are central to teaching ethical ideas at
this early stage.
Our presentations encourage children to think what “being fair”
means in our relations with each other and nonhuman animals.

8. Primary (ages 6-12)
Again with a sensitivity to the needs and moral and social
development of this age group, Animal Education Outreach
has created a range of age-appropriate educational materials.
Within educational units in strands entitled, "Myself," "Myself and Others,"
and "Myself and the Wider World," the broad objectives of the SPHE curriculum
includes enabling children to "make decisions, solve problems and take
appropriate actions in various personal, social and health contexts," to begin an
awareness of the "various influences on choices and decisions" (such as social
movements, businesses and advertising), to "begin to identify, review and
evaluate the values and attitudes that are held by individuals and society," to
"recognise that these affect thoughts and actions," and to "promote the values of
a just and caring society."
examples…

9. Categories (plus)
 We also feature the Categories
Game in the early years of primary
level. However, the ethical
questions are a little more
developed – for example, we may
explore whether animals are
“happy” in zoos and circuses; if the
children have thought about how
“circus animals” are trained; what’s
the difference between “pet”
animals and “food” animals, etc.
 Dependent on age, we may ask
what’s strange or “wrong” about
the following picture…

10. 10
Animals used for meat…

11. Share the World
For older children at
primary level, we have
a 25-minute DVD,
Share the World,
introduced by Babe
star James Cromwell
and exploring themes
such as “animals and
their feelings,” and
“the amazing world of
animals.”
[individual sections of the
DVD pose questions for the
children to answer in
“discussion times.”]

12. Worksheets on various subjects
are also available for all years of
the primary stage. From getting
children to begin their own
“animal fact file” to stories about
a pig who rescued a boy and a
family who rescued a crow to
yes-no questionnaires about zoos
.
Some worksheets suggest essay
questions for the older children
at primary level.
examples….

13. Some points to help you write these essays.
Animal Education Outreach.
Choose an Essay Title.
1.Would it be wrong to eat whale meat or dog meat?
2.Where should we draw the line about what we eat?
3.Why do we pet some animals and eat others?
In Korea and other countries, dogs are bred to be killed and eaten. In China, it is
quite possible to have flesh from monkeys in a meal. In Japan, whale meat is
eaten, while in France and other European countries, horse flesh is consumed.
How do you feel about this?
Is it right?
Should it be allowed?
Would you eat the flesh of these animals? Why – or why not?
In Ireland, we eat the parts of chickens, pigs, cows,
and sheep. These animals have a lot in common
with whales, monkeys, dogs, and horses.
All these nonhuman animals can feel pain, and they
are individuals who can suffer and who have
preferences. Pigs are regarded as more intelligent
than dogs, while cows are gently giants.
If people feel it is wrong to eat whales, dogs,
monkeys and horses, should they think more about
the nonhuman animals they do eat?
WHAT’S
THE
DIFFERENCE?

14. Junior (ages 12-15).
 For the junior levels, when a fuller examination of contemporary social and moral issues is expected
within the curriculum, we present a range of views relating to human-nonhuman relations that
include versions of animal welfare and animal rights.
 There are different views on these subjects. For example, proponents of animal welfare emphasise
the welfare advantages of “free-range beef” over “factory farmed beef” production, while animal
rightists would criticise all animal use. All of these points impact not only on the health and diet
choices of children but also on their ethical choices as well.
 Animal Education Outreach offers the opportunity to promote the active learning which is essential
to the curriculum by facilitating the exploration of issues, the acquisition of knowledge and the
development of skills appropriate to this age group that are relevant to the social, personal and
health dimensions of their lives. AEO presenters encourage students to recognise values and
develop positive attitudes in relation to themselves, other people and the wider world.
 Animal Education Outreach aims to help pupils to explore, analyse and evaluate human-nonhuman
issues and consequently to help them acquire the skills of moral and critical appraisal integral to
completion of the Junior Certificate.

15. Junior.

16. Junior level.
The level of ethical
assessment reflected in
the curriculum allows
us to introduce more
challenging materials
for the juniors.

17. Junior level.
Animal Education
Outreach is busy
producing our own unique
DVDs which show Irish
footage of relevant issues.
These are mini-films to
facilitate their use in class.
There are also a variety of
commercial DVDs and CD-
ROMs available to schools
for projects.

18. Senior (age 15-18).
 Our senior materials are most
obviously relevant to the Leaving
Certificate (Applied) programme
but we also cater for the Leaving
Certificate (Established), the
Transition Year and the Vocational
programme.
 Teaching criteria within the LC
(Established) programme includes
Home Economics and issues such
as, factors affecting food choices,
current food habits and trends,
maintaining a healthy body weight,
and the Irish food industry.

19. Senior.
The LC (Established)
programme in Home
Economics also looks at
the issue of diet and food
requirements. This looks
at a range of human
diseases, including
osteoporosis, which are
associated with the
consumption of animal
products.
The module also looks at
various food regimes such
as lacto-vegetarian, and
vegan.

20. Senior
 Student Tasks (STs) are used as a means of integrating courses, and schools support
provide a Programme Co-ordinator who oversees the management and planning of STs.
The STs that are most relevant in terms of the expertise of the Animal Education
Outreach presenters are the Contemporary Issue Task, the Practical Achievement Task
and the Personal Reflection Task.
 The Contemporary Issue Task requires the student to conduct and complete an
investigation into, and to take action in relation to, a contemporary issue of social
significance in the local, national and/or global community…
 The investigation should help the student to develop her/his awareness and
understanding of the different dimensions of the particular issue chosen e.g. social,
political, civic, economic and cultural dimensions. Students can choose topics that are of
interest to them and should, conduct an investigation, develop skills of planning and
recording, understanding an issue in greater depth, understand an issue in a broader
context, undertake an action and develop skills of reflection and evaluation.

21. Senior
 There is no doubt that human-nonhuman relations
pose a number of contemporary issues and these
are played out at all levels, local, national and
global.
 Whether students are interested in animal rights,
animal welfare, the environmental impact of
agriculture, or health issues, Animal Education
Outreach has relevant materials and speakers.
 We are able to assist students meet required
criteria at senior level, such as:
 The issue selected must be a contemporary issue
of social significance.
 The issue may be local, national or global in scope.
 The issue must be linked to one or more of the key
concepts and/or themes of the Social Education
course e.g. equality, gender, health, relationships,
conflict, law, community, democracy, development,
social justice, human rights and responsibilities,
active citizenship, forces/interests (media, pressure
groups, lobbying).
 The student is expected to be able to make
connections between the issue they are
investigating and other related issues and contexts.

22. Senior
The Practical Achievement Task.
 The Practical Achievement Task is undertaken over a three-month period. This ST is
geared towards students gaining a strong sense of achievement and can include
"undertaking an initiative."
 This initiative could, for example, involve being vegan for a month, and/or organising a
vegan fair or event, such as organising a film night or debate.
The Personal Reflection Task.
 The Personal Reflection Task, as the name suggests, is a reflexive exercise the students
engage in. They should ask themselves, what was I like before this experience?, what
did I expect of this experience?, what was the experience actually like?, what have I
learned about myself from this experience? and, how has this affected my outlook and
plans for the future?

23. Animal Education
Outreach has a number
of filmed debates and
documentaries which we
can make available to
senior classes.

24. Senior level.
Text Resources.
Animal Education
Outreach has access to
extensive text resources
which we can make
available in
photocopied form to
senior students
engaged in study
relevant to human-
nonhuman relations.

25. Text Resources.
Our text resources
cover a wide range
of relevant
subjects.

26. Text resources.
Especially in the
fields of animal
rights, animal
welfare and social
movement theory.

28. Animal Education
Trust.
http://animaleducationoutreach.weebly.com/
animaleducationoutreach@topmail.ie
https://www.facebook.com/AnimalEducationOutreach