Teacher Guide     

Protecting Man's Best Friend

             

 Scenario
     

    

In The Wreck of the Ethie you read a fictionalized account where a Newfoundland dog helped in the rescue of the passengers. You have probably heard the saying, "Dog is man's best friend." Perhaps you have heard or read about other ways that dogs help people or are trained to assist people.

The public library always has many people with questions about ways dogs are helpful to humans and how humans are protective of dogs. The librarians have invited your class to research this and bring your findings to share at meeting of patrons at the library. 

Task and Product

    

  

 

    

 

You will be reading about the ways dogs help people and about how people help dogs.  You will choose a topic of interest to research and do your presentation on.  Suggested topics are:

*Benefits of dogs to the elderly

*Dogs helping the disabled

* Working dogs

* Care and responsibility of companion dogs

You may choose your product: oral presentation, pamphlet, journal entry, poster, newspaper article or power point slide presentation. 

Assessments

     

During your research, your teacher may ask you to write a reflective paragraph to check your progress. Your teacher may also ask you to complete a learning log. 

Question


           

Essential Question: How can we, as humans, continue to enjoy the benefit of dogs helping us and carry out our responsibilities to keep them safe?

Subsidiary questions

  • How are older dogs cared for when they become unable to do their duties?
  • How do dogs help people?
  • How can people enjoy the many benefits of dogs and still protect them?
  • How have dogs helped people throughout history?
  • How do you imagine that the ways dogs help us will change in the future?

Gather and Sort

      

     

A good place to look for information is or . Check the resources page for these links. 

Gather information about from a variety of sources.

Sort your research findings using a graphic organizer or a note taking chart.

Organize


   

       

Analyze your completed graphic organizer, note-taking chart, learning log, and/or reflective paragraphs. 

Synthesize your findings by transferring your new information to your final product. 

  • What new insights have emerged
  • Which facts have you included in your notes?
  • Are you ready to being creating your product? 

Evaluate the effectiveness of your research for the task.

  • Have you gathered sufficient details about the 
  • Is your research reflected in the product??

Conclusion

  

You are now ready to share your information with your class before you share it at the library.  Ask your classmates for feedback. Make any final changes before you visit the library.

Reflection:  You have been researching the idea of preserving the positive relationship between dogs and people. Think about all the different ways dogs work with and help people.  How do you think this will change in the future?  How could your research have a positive influence on the future relationship between dogs and people?