Paws for a Cause: Volunteer Adventure!

All grades Project 5 weeks

Paws for a Cause: Volunteer Adventure!

Brayden G

1-pager

Purpose

Explore the real impact of dog shelters on the well-being of dogs through firsthand experiences at a local shelter. Collaborate with your teachers, shelter staff, and volunteers to deepen your understanding of dogs and assess their behaviors. Document your observations, challenges, and moments of joy as you reflect on the role shelters play in dog care. Present your insights and learnings in a public exhibition, showcasing how your immersion in the shelter environment has informed your perspectives.

Learning goals

The learning goals for your volunteer project at the animal shelter will center around understanding canine behaviors and needs, analyzing the role of shelters in animal welfare, and developing observation and empathy skills. You will aim to explore how the environment impacts dogs' behavior and assess the effectiveness of our care strategies. Additionally, you'll refine communication and collaboration skills by working with shelter staff and reflecting on the impact of your involvement.

Products

Create a video documentary capturing your experiences and learnings from volunteering at the dog shelter over the 5-week period. Use interviews with shelter staff, footage of day-to-day activities, and your own reflections to illustrate the impact of the shelter on the dogs and your insights about their welfare. Compile your findings into a visually engaging presentation that will be shared during the exhibition, highlighting key moments and lessons from your time volunteering.

Launch

Start your project with a visit to a local animal shelter where you observe and interact with the animals and staff. Keep a journal to document your initial impressions, thoughts, and feelings about the shelter environment and the dogs' well-being. Engage in a group discussion with Ms. Emily and your classmates about what you observed and how it connects to your essential question.

Exhibition

Document your volunteer journey at the shelter through a series of blog posts or videos, which can be showcased in a digital exhibition for your classmates and the shelter staff. Arrange a live presentation day at school where you present your findings and reflections, including any changes in perception about dog shelters. Create visual displays or posters summarizing key takeaways about dog behavior and shelter impacts on their well-being to share during this exhibition.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4
Social-Emotional Learning	Demonstrate Empathy and Understanding of Canine Welfare - Student exhibits a clear understanding of canine behaviors and needs, demonstrating empathy through reflections and documented observations.	I can share meaningful observations about the dogs' behaviors and well-being in the shelter by using specific examples from my interactions and reflections, showing my understanding of their needs I express empathy by discussing how the shelter environment affects the dogs and listen actively during group discussions, recognizing different perspectives on animal welfare.	I can describe some of the behaviors and needs of the dogs I observed at the shelter and share how spending time with them helped me understand how they feel.	I can thoughtfully observe and write about how the dogs' behavior changes in different spaces at the shelter, showing empathy by considering what they need to feel safe and happy.	I can clearly explain how my interactions and observations at the shelter show my understanding of dogs' needs and behaviors I describe specific examples of how I have shown kindness and empathy towards the animals and reflect on how this experience has changed my perspective on animal welfare.
Critical Thinking	Analyze the Role of Shelters in Animal Care - Student can articulate the function and importance of shelters in animal welfare and identify key elements that contribute to effective dog care strategies.	I can explain what shelters do to care for dogs and why it's important, showing examples of different ways shelters help dogs feel happy and healthy.	I can describe how shelters help dogs by giving them food, a safe place to live, and people who take care of them I can share examples from my visit to show what shelters do well and how it helps the dogs feel better.	I can explain how shelters help in caring for dogs by using examples from my experiences at the shelter I can identify specific care strategies used by the staff and how they support the dogs’ physical and emotional needs.	I can clearly explain how dog shelters support animal welfare by providing essential care and creating a positive environment for dogs I can identify and describe specific strategies used by shelters to meet the dogs' needs and share examples from my own experiences at the shelter.
Collaboration	Collaborate Effectively with Shelter Staff and Peers - Student engages actively in collaborative activities, effectively communicating and problem-solving with peers and shelter staff during volunteer activities.	I can share my thoughts and listen to others during our volunteer activities, using kind words and respectful behavior to help solve problems that come up while working with my classmates and shelter staff.	I can actively participate in group discussions and activities with my classmates and shelter staff, sharing ideas and listening to others, while working together to solve problems and complete tasks at the shelter.	I can actively participate in group tasks at the shelter by sharing my observations, listening to others' ideas, and asking thoughtful questions to understand different perspectives about the dogs' behaviors and needs.	I can work together with my classmates and shelter staff to brainstorm and solve problems during our activities at the shelter I communicate my ideas clearly and listen to others to understand their perspectives, making sure we all contribute to our tasks and share our experiences openly.
Communication	Create a Comprehensive Video Documentary - Student produces a detailed and creative video presentation that captures the volunteer experience, including interviews, reflections, and key insights on dog welfare.	I can create a video documentary that includes interviews with shelter staff and volunteers, footage of daily activities at the shelter, and my personal reflections on what I observed about dog behavior and welfare The video clearly shows my understanding of how the shelter impacts the well-being of the dogs and includes key insights learned from my volunteering experience.	I can create a video documentary that highlights my experiences at the shelter by including interviews with staff, some day-to-day footage, and three personal reflections I make sure to show at least two new insights I learned about dog welfare.	I can effectively produce a video documentary by including clear and engaging interviews with shelter staff and thoughtful reflections on my experiences to highlight important insights about the welfare of dogs in shelters.	I can create a detailed and creative video documentary that effectively captures my volunteer experiences at the shelter, including insightful interviews with staff, thoughtful reflections, and key learnings about dog welfare, all presented in an engaging manner for my audience.
Self-Reflection	Reflect on Personal Growth and Perspective Changes - Student articulates personal growth through reflections, demonstrating changes in perception about animal shelters and their impact on dog well-being.	I can describe how my initial thoughts about dog shelters evolved through my experiences and interactions at the shelter, highlighting specific moments that influenced my understanding of dog well-being and shelter care.	I can describe how my initial thoughts about dog shelters have changed and give specific examples of new understandings or feelings I have after working closely with the animals and staff.	I can share detailed reflections in my journal and group discussions that show how visiting and volunteering at the animal shelter has changed my understanding of how shelters affect dog welfare and has helped me grow in empathy and awareness.	I can thoughtfully express how my experiences at the animal shelter, including my interactions and observations, have changed my understanding of dog welfare and the role of shelters, and I can provide specific examples of these changes in my journal entries, blog posts, or presentations.