Project Goals
Students from a variety of disciplines will work together to create educational materials for use by Indiana animal welfare agencies.
The end products of this project will be one or possibly two educational films highlighting the need for responsible pet ownership by ending animal abuse and neglect. In addition, printed educational materials will be developed for three separate groups and will range from informative coloring book pages for elementary students to classroom exercises for middle school students to informative brochures which animal shelters could distribute to their adult audiences.
Students will engage in secondary research, including background research on current Indiana policies, responsible pet ownership and cases and causes of abuse., etc. Primary research will include interviewing shelter staff (with trips to shelters throughout Indiana) and working with two grades of children (3rd grade and 7th grade). We will work with these classes before developing materials and as a “test” group after the materials have been developed.
Students will create both video and print materials as part of this project.
· Educational Films
o Students will create a 30 minute film to highlight the community’s need for responsible pet ownership. Discussions with the Executive Director of the Animal Rescue Fund, have shown that education is needed to encourage children and adults to respect animals as well as care for them. This film could be used by animal welfare groups as an outreach tool to educate the community, not only on responsible pet ownership, but what animal welfare agencies can provide for their community.
o If possible, students will also create a short (5-7 minute) film for young children that encourages empathy towards animals.
· Educational materials
o Elementary school classes will have coloring book pages for learning activities in the classroom and as backup for the shelter’s presentations on safety and respect. Follow-up materials (handouts or brochures) will be created for students to take home to parents.
o Middle school classes will have more sophisticated materials such as visual statistics to show the problems caused by not spaying/neutering animals, and what is animal cruelty and neglect. These materials may be handouts or classroom activities (such as role-playing guides) for teachers as well as materials for students to take home to parents.
o Adult groups will receive materials that outline the issue from a community standpoint, which will identify the problems communities face when animal neglect or abuse is present. Additionally, materials (brochures and promotional materials) will be developed to promote the role of animal shelters in the community.
To complete these projects, students will need to have a thorough understanding of what responsible pet ownership entails, understand why animal abuse happens and how it can be stopped, and understand how differing audiences have different needs.
The end products of this project will be one or possibly two educational films highlighting the need for responsible pet ownership by ending animal abuse and neglect. In addition, printed educational materials will be developed for three separate groups and will range from informative coloring book pages for elementary students to classroom exercises for middle school students to informative brochures which animal shelters could distribute to their adult audiences.
Students will engage in secondary research, including background research on current Indiana policies, responsible pet ownership and cases and causes of abuse., etc. Primary research will include interviewing shelter staff (with trips to shelters throughout Indiana) and working with two grades of children (3rd grade and 7th grade). We will work with these classes before developing materials and as a “test” group after the materials have been developed.
Students will create both video and print materials as part of this project.
· Educational Films
o Students will create a 30 minute film to highlight the community’s need for responsible pet ownership. Discussions with the Executive Director of the Animal Rescue Fund, have shown that education is needed to encourage children and adults to respect animals as well as care for them. This film could be used by animal welfare groups as an outreach tool to educate the community, not only on responsible pet ownership, but what animal welfare agencies can provide for their community.
o If possible, students will also create a short (5-7 minute) film for young children that encourages empathy towards animals.
· Educational materials
o Elementary school classes will have coloring book pages for learning activities in the classroom and as backup for the shelter’s presentations on safety and respect. Follow-up materials (handouts or brochures) will be created for students to take home to parents.
o Middle school classes will have more sophisticated materials such as visual statistics to show the problems caused by not spaying/neutering animals, and what is animal cruelty and neglect. These materials may be handouts or classroom activities (such as role-playing guides) for teachers as well as materials for students to take home to parents.
o Adult groups will receive materials that outline the issue from a community standpoint, which will identify the problems communities face when animal neglect or abuse is present. Additionally, materials (brochures and promotional materials) will be developed to promote the role of animal shelters in the community.
To complete these projects, students will need to have a thorough understanding of what responsible pet ownership entails, understand why animal abuse happens and how it can be stopped, and understand how differing audiences have different needs.