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Activity Two
Animals and Their Feelings
This activity is designed to promote students’ understanding that animals have much in common with us and are living, feeling beings to be treated with respect and compassion, regardless of how small or ‘strange’ they may seem. Focusing on developing empathy toward animals (‘stepping into’ their needs and feelings to understand them better), the activity begins by inviting students to read an excerpt from Anna Sewell’s classic 1877 novel Black Beauty: The Autobiography of a Horse. In the excerpt, a horse named Ginger tells Black Beauty of her first unpleasant experiences with humans. Written from an animal’s point of view, the passage uses empathy to illustrate that animals experience love, pain, sadness and frustration.

Part 1 then challenges students to imagine and list the feelings of three different animals in various situations. In Part 2, students write a brief story on ‘If I had three wishes’ from the viewpoint of an animal of their choosing; they can also illustrate their story with a picture.

You may want to introduce this activity by asking students to discuss the feelings of an animal companion they know—perhaps a dog, a cat or a cow. Ask: What signs does the animal make to display his or her feelings, just as other members of the family might? How does his or her behaviour change as circumstances around him or her change? After discussing animals they know, suggest to students that perhaps other animals—ones they don’t know themselves, ranging from the tiniest mouse to the biggest whale—might experience similar feelings. Then distribute the activity sheet.

Answers
Part 1
Answers will vary. Sample answers are given.

1. happy, relieved, grateful.

2. helpless, frustrated, trapped.

3. lonely, frightened, panic-stricken, sad.

Part 2
Answers will vary according to students’ individual experiences and abilities. Make sure students have written their ‘three wishes’ in the first person, from the animal’s point of view.

Follow-Up Activities
1. Have students think about and discuss the excerpt from Black Beauty. Suggest that they write an extension to the story, then share their completed stories with the class.

2. Ask students to keep an observation journal of a companion animal in their own home or in that of a friend or relative. They could also observe a community dog or cat. Have them watch the animal for several days—being sure not to disturb his or her normal habitat or routine—and note changes in his or her behaviour, what may have influenced these changes (e.g., going for a walk in the park or getting extra food) and how he or she expresses feelings.

3. Encourage each student to select a species of animal to research in the library or observe undisturbed in his or her natural habitat. This might be the animal they have chosen to write about in Part 2 of this activity or yet another species. Suggest that their research focus on the animal’s social behaviours and needs, rather than on physical characteristics. Then have them report their findings to the class.

4. For a literature-based look at animals and their feelings, have students read the four true story segments and complete the writing assignments found in ANIMALS AND THEIR FEELINGS II—A READING UNIT.