April 2013
The spring
issue of Bark! magazine is out now!
In this issue,
readers will learn why wild animals sold in pet stores don’t make good pets.
They’ll also meet a real-life pair of rescued pigs named Charlotte and Wilbur, discover
the hows and whys of cat scratching and have a chance to enter our Stamp Out Cruelty Contest.
Our regular
feature, High Paws, showcases kids
from around the province making a difference for animals in creative ways, and Crafty Corner demonstrates how to convert
a tub into a small animal playground.
Students are
sure to enjoy this colourful, informative magazine, which also includes book
reviews, fun animal facts and a pull-out poster, whether they reference it for
projects or read it at their leisure.
Look for Bark! on your school library shelf now or
order a class set of this
issue by email. Include your name, number of students, grade, school name
and address and we’ll package them up and send them off to your class.
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Based on the
well-loved book by Dr. Seuss, the animated film The Lorax delivers a poignant message about personal responsibility
for the environment.
Growing up in
a town where the “trees” run on batteries, Ted goes in search of a real, live
tree in order to impress a girl. With his grandmother’s help, Ted finds the
Once-ler, the man responsible for the disappearance of the trees. The Once-ler
tells Ted the tale of himself as a young man and the lessons that the Lorax, a
creature who speaks for the trees, tried to teach him.
Meanwhile,
Mr. O’Hare, who makes a fortune selling air in plastic bottles, tries
desperately to stop Ted; if people know that trees can make fresh air, they’ll
no longer buy it in a bottle.
Will nature
prevail over the Once-ler’s mistakes and Mr. O’Hare’s greed? Packed with
entertaining characters, musical numbers and an exciting chase scene at the
end, The Lorax aims to inspire viewers, especially kids, to
care deeply about the environment and take action to make the world a better
place. Screened in the classroom and paired with environmental lessons, this
film can have a particularly positive and lasting effect.
Read
more BC SPCA book recommendations
The spring
issue of Bark! includes animal-themed
book reviews that you can share with your school librarian or use in your classroom.
You can also let your librarian know to be on the lookout for a special package
from the BC SPCA that will include a poster and more detailed list of books to
display in May in honour of Be Kind to
Animals Month. There are books
for all ages and interests.
If a book
review is on your assignment list in the next couple of months, consider
choosing one from our recommended book list and sharing it with your class. Become
an ambassador for animals by teaching others about animals and animal welfare
issues.
Don’t forget
to send us pictures of your projects so we can put them up on our High Paws is the BC SPCA Kids Club Hall of Fame webpage
as well as enter your club into a draw for some cool prizes.
Volunteer
Appreciation Week is coming up April 21-27!
Volunteers
are a vital part of the BC SPCA. Volunteer roles include photographing the
animals for our website, socializing animals, presenting humane education programs
in schools, walking dogs, fostering animals and even cleaning kennels. With these
dedicated people we are able to maintain a high standard of care for the
animals.
Though
children can’t volunteer directly with the animals at the shelter, there are many
other ways to help. Check out our school
club manual or let students know about our workshops and camps
just for kids.
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. Bite Free is on the recommended resource list for Health and
Career Planning for grades K-5.
Click on a lesson plan below to learn more.
Kindness Counts (for K- Gr. 2)
Companions for Life (Gr. 3-5)
You Can Make a Difference (Gr. 5-7)
Cluck - The life of an egg-laying hen (Gr. 4-6)
Bite Free (K - Gr. 5)
We would love to know what you think of our e-Teacher newsletter.
Do you use it regularly? Is there a topic you would like us to cover? Do you share this with others? Did you learn something new?
Please email us your questions and comments.
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