Teachers’ notes E-zine: Caring for pets
Activity: We need you!
1. Overview of the activity
This is an activity where pupils design a magazine appeal to persuade people of their own
age to do something positive for animal welfare. Pupils can choose between three types of
appeal to get people involved in helping the RSPCA: campaigning, fundraising or
volunteering.
2. Using this activity
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Ask pupils to begin by playing the message from Editor Charlie/Carys on the
smartphone, which outlines their task. After reading the first screen they should click
on the ‘Research documents’ button. This section contains a selection of videos,
images and factsheets explaining the different ways that people can help the
RSPCA, to get the pupils started. They can access the research documents from
every page of the activity.
•
After carrying out their research, pupils should go back to the first page and click the
‘Create appeal’ button. They can choose one of three types of appeal – campaigning,
fundraising and volunteering – and then select a title for their appeal by clicking on
the arrow buttons underneath. The next step is to choose an image for their appeal,
by scrolling through the images in the image viewer.
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Once pupils have clicked the ‘Write appeal’ button they will see a freetext box for
writing their appeal. There is a character limit for the text, to fit the design. If pupils
want to go back and change the title and image for their appeal, they can click the
‘Back’ button.
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Once they’re finished, pupils can preview their appeal using the ’Preview’ button. If
they’re happy with their appeal, they should click ‘Send to editor’, which triggers
some feedback from the editor. Alternatively, they can choose to go back and edit
their appeal.
3. Learning objectives
Pupils should learn:
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to use a combination of words and images to persuade an audience of their own age
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about the varied, wide-ranging work of organisations like the RSPCA
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that by finding out about what goes on in their communities, they can become
informed, active citizens.
www.rspca-petrespect.org.uk
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Teachers’ notes 4. Animal welfare objectives
Pupils should learn:
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that animal welfare work includes much more than animal care, e.g. campaigning,
fundraising and volunteering
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that if rescued animals’ needs are to be met, help from people of all ages and
abilities in the community is always needed and is valued.
5. Discussion points
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Discuss ways of persuading people to get involved in helping charities: what do they
think works and what doesn’t work?
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Discuss the role and importance of information, facts and knowledge in persuading
people to get involved: how important is the truth?
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Discuss what motivates people to help charities and whether people ‘get anything
back’ for what they do – make some Citizenship links.
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Discuss other campaigners or reformers they have learned about and the methods
these people used to gain support and help. For example, William Wilberforce and
the campaign to end the slave trade (see Did you know? section below).
6. Differentiation
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Less able pupils may benefit from having their appeal text checked by a teacher
before sending their appeal to the editor.
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Pupils may find it helpful before the activity to discuss how to use persuasive
language and how to choose images to match their appeal text.
7. Extension activities
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Pupils could look through old magazines and find further images (of animals and
people) to add to their appeal, perhaps making a collage or mood board for the
overall appeal, or designing a TV ad appeal. This could be part of the preparation for
the Cover maker activity.
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Record a radio appeal for volunteers, bearing mind what different information needs
to be given and what different techniques can be used to persuade when there are
no visual aids.
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Whole class – embarking on a class project to make a contribution to animal welfare.
For example, the annual RSPCA Week or ideas for school councils.
www.rspca-petrespect.org.uk
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Teachers’ notes 8. Curriculum links
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England (KS2)
o
English – En1 Speaking and listening:
2a) identify the gist of an account or key points in a discussion and
evaluate what they hear.
o
En2 Reading:
3c) obtain specific information through detailed reading.
o
En3 Writing:
1c) use language and style that are appropriate to the reader
9c) to persuade, focusing on how arguments and evidence are built up
and language used to convince the reader.
o
Citizenship:
1a) to talk and write about their opinions, and explain their views, on
issues that affect themselves and society
2h) to recognise the role of voluntary, community and pressure groups
5g) consider social and moral dilemmas that they come across in life.
o
ICT:
3b) to be sensitive to the needs of the audience and think carefully
about the content and quality when communicating information
4a) review what they and others have done to help them develop their
ideas.
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Wales (KS2)
o
English/Oracy:
ƒ
o
Listen and view attentively, responding to a wide range of
communication.
English/Reading:
ƒ
Retrieve and collate information from a range of different sources
including printed, visual, audio, media, ICT and drama in performance.
www.rspca-petrespect.org.uk
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Teachers’ notes o
English/Writing:
ƒ
o
o
Use the characteristic features of literary and non-literary texts in their
own writing, adapting their style to suit the audience and purpose.
Citizenship/PSE:
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Identify links between cause and effect.
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Create and present information and ideas.
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Take an active interest in varied aspects of life in school and the wider
environment.
ICT:
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Find information from a variety of sources for a defined purpose.
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Create a range of presentations combining a variety of information
and media, e.g. a poster combining text and graphics, a multimedia
presentation.
9. Links to other RSPCA Education resources
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Lessons:
Animals and us – Taking responsibility
Animals and us – Taking action
Animals and us – Charities and volunteers
Animals and us – The role of the RSPCA
Local democracy – Representing local issues
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Animals and us interactive:
RSPCA people
Charities and volunteers
About the RSPCA, What do you know about the RSPCA?
How many? Behind the statistics
www.rspca-petrespect.org.uk
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Teachers’ notes •
Image collections:
Animals and us
Local democracy
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Assembly – Introduction to the RSPCA
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School councils:
Community – What can we do to help improve animal welfare in our local
area?
Giving animals a voice – campaigning – How can we make people aware of
animal welfare issues?
10. Accessibility
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Pupils who find it difficult to use a mouse could work in partnership with another pupil
or could use an interactive whiteboard.
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Visually-impaired pupils may need assistance with the drag-and-drop aspects of the
activity, and with some of the reading elements, such as the research documents.
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Some of the research documents (docs) are available as audio versions (pods).
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Hearing-impaired pupils can view on-screen subtitles for all the videos by clicking the
‘S’ button on the smartphone and video players.
11. Did you know?
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You can check out current campaigns and get some ideas for how to design your
appeal on the RSPCA website. There is also an A-Z of fundraising ideas.
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The RSPCA rehomes around 64,000 animals each year.
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Throughout history many campaigners, fundraisers and reformers were involved in
more than one campaign at a time. William Wilberforce is well known for his work
against the slave trade, but is perhaps less well-known for being one of the founding
members of the RSPCA.
www.rspca-petrespect.org.uk
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Teachers’ notes 12. Points to note
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The RSPCA has limited volunteering opportunities for anyone under the age of 16,
especially in practical animal care. However, there are many other ways to make a
contribution to animal welfare on our website.
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Please make sure that any activities the pupils suggest are safe and legal and their
parents/guardians are happy about what they’ve chosen to do. If they decide to
organise an event, it should be supervised by an adult.
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The RSPCA can take no responsibility for any injury, losses or damage caused or
sustained as a result of fundraising events in aid of the RSPCA.
www.rspca-petrespect.org.uk
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