Paw Pals is a educational resource that aims to encourage students from Kindergarten to Year 6 to care for and take responsibility for their pets. The materials include lesson plans for teachers and rangers, 23 activity sheets that can be undertaken in class and materials to support rangers when visiting schools including give-aways such as stickers and pet passports.
The resource materials were designed and developed in consultation with primary school teachers. All materials can be freely downloaded from the website, copyright is retained by REROC, however all materials can be reproduced provided REROC recieves an approprate acknowledgement.
The resource materials that are available are as follows:
Resource Book - This is a 60 page booklet that contains lesson plans for teachers and rangers. The book is divided into 6 units.
Unit One - My Pet, My Friend (Kindergarten): this unit aims to develop an understanding of the basic needs pets have, an appreciationof a pet as a friend and raise awareness of how students should interact with animals they don't know
Unit Two - My Pet, My Friend, My Responsibility (Years 1 and 2): this unit aims to reinforce the basic needs that pets have, introduce actions that relate to responsible pet ownership and raise awareness of how students should interact with animals they don't know.
Unit Three - Pets as Companions (Years 3 and 4): the unit aims to reinforce the basic needs that pets have, introduce the concept of pets as companions, build knowledge on how to choose the right pet and raise awareness about how to interact with animals that the students don't know.
Unit Four - Responsible Pets, Responsible Owners (Years 5 and 6): this unit aims to reinforce the basic needs that pets have, introduce the concepts of pets with responsibility (working animals) and pets as therapy, build knowledge about responsible pet ownership and raise awarenes of safety with animals.
Ranger Resource Materials - A variety of materials have been prepared for rangers to utilise in the classroom.
Posters of Pets - can be pinned up on the wall to initiate discussion on what types of pets the children have.
Paw Pals Passport - encourages children to maintain records about their pet including when it was micro-chipped.
Ranger Stamp - rangers use the stamp to "certify" that the passport has been completed.
Do's and Don'ts Poster - an A1 size colour poster listing the do's and don'ts of pet ownership
Bookmarks - come in colour and black and white (so that the children can colour them in). Rangers can hand these out on visits to school.
Stickers - to be given to children
Activity Sheets - 23 activity sheets have been developed for the project. The sheets cover all the age groups between Kindergarten and Year 6. The Lesson Plans include suggestions as to when the sheets should be used.
Activity Sheets 1-5: What a Pet Needs, Match the Shadows and Use a Leash
Activity Sheets 6-9: Where do I Live, Pet Needs and Find the Hidden Bones
Activity Sheets 10-15: Protecting Yourself again Bites, Draw your Pet, Dog Body Language, Mazes, Dog Join the Dots and Which Pet is Right for Me?
Activity Sheets 16-19: Cat Find-a-word, Park Scene and Cut-outs and Pet Sums
Activity Sheets 20-22: Famous Dogs Find-a-Word, Spot the Difference and Pets for Sale.
Activity Sheet 23: Crossword puzzle and Crossword Answers.
