February 2017
The latest issue of Bark! should be on your school library shelf. This issue has something for everyone. Horses, cats, hamsters and squirrels… oh, my! Students can learn how one person’s path led her from being a BC SPCA summer camper to fulfilling her dream of working with horses and learning so much more about farm animals along the way.
Did you know that some exercise wheels can cause injuries to small animals? Find out which wheel is best or see how to create an indoor space that will let your cat climb the walls – literally!
Do you have students more interested in nature and wildlife? They can learn how squirrels find all of those nuts they bury and how they are helping our forests grow.
If you are a teacher in British Columbia, and would like to order a class set of this issue, please email us. Be sure to include your name, number of students, grade, school name and address and we’ll package them up and send them off for your class to enjoy.
Remember, we appreciate any feedback on Bark! or any of our educational materials. If you have a suggestion for a story or want to share a project by a student or your class, let us know.
Yoda: The Story of a Cat and His Kittens
by Beth Stern, illustrated by Davin Crane
Yoda: The Story of a Cat and His Kittens is a heartwarming tale of a long overlooked shelter cat who finds his calling as a foster mom/dad.
Yoda spent months waiting for his forever home, watching other cat pals get adopted and dreaming of becoming a supercat. Little did he know what fate had in store for him. When Beth (wife of Howard Stern and avid kitten foster mom) chose Yoda as her newest furry family member, Yoda thought he was dreaming. But something wasn’t quite right. Yoda’s heart was sad until he discovered the room full of foster kittens down the hall. Yoda immediately took charge, grooming them, teaching them to be gentle and keeping them safe. He found his purpose and finally became the supercat he’d always imagined he could be.
The illustrations are bright, colourful and fun, helping to tell the true tale of how a special needs rescue cat defeated the odds and brightens lives every day.
Get more BC SPCA book recommendations online.
Keep us informed of all the great things your club is doing. Big or small, we want to know about them all!
Here are some examples of what other clubs have done:
• Asked fellow students to sign a petition to get a vegetarian option on the school cafeteria menu every day. • Collected “wish list” items for their local shelter. • Invited a BC SPCA representative to a school assembly to let the whole school know about the work of the BC SPCA. • Held a cupcake sale for National Cupcake Day. • Invited a guest speaker from the local wildlife rehab centre to talk to club members about the work they do. • Put up “bear aware” posters in their school to help keep students safe and prevent bears from hanging around their neighbourhood. • Created posters with pictures of adoptable animals from the BC SPCA which helped some long-term animals find loving homes.
Do you have a project we could add to the list? Let us know so we can inspire other clubs to get active for animals.
Read about sweet little Poppy, a five-year-old Chihuahua at the Comox SPCA. Poppy came to the shelter with an untreated leg injury and a cherry eye. With help from supporters, Poppy will get the surgery and recovery time she needs, and will then be available for adoption. She will only have three legs, but still has lots of love to give and life to live.
Learn more about this news item and other BC SPCA news that you may want to include in class discussions.
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The BC SPCA has classroom resources for grades K-7. The lessons integrate animal issues and information into existing provincial learning outcomes. Click on a lesson plan below to learn more.
Kindness counts (Primary)
Bite free (Primary/intermediate)
Making the right choice (Intermediate)
You can make a difference (Intermediate)
The farm-food connection (Intermediate)
Cats in the community (Intermediate)
Including animals in social justice (Intermediate/Secondary)
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