If there is one thing that is most important for children to realize, it is that they share a world with other beings who have needs similar but not identical to theirs. This understanding helps to develop the child's confidence, empathy and respect for others -- both with animals and with classmates.

Teaching compassion and empathy is a focus of the social responsibility component of the B.C. Education curriculum. Our four curriculum units, Kindness Counts, Companions for Life,  Cluck! The Life of an Egg-Laying Chicken and You Can Make a Difference incorporate compassion and empathy for animals, the environment and people, while meeting prescribed learning outcomes, in a variety of subjects, set by the BC Ministry of Education. Bite Free is a BC Ministry of Education recommended resource for Health and Career Education for K-5.

Request your free copy of any of the following four BC SPCA Lesson Plans (not including Bite Free or Cluck! - they are availabe for purchase) or view BC SPCA brochures and handouts to use in your classroom.  

BC SPCA School Club Manual  All ages The BC SPCA School Club Manual is full of ideas for projects and events that students can do to raise awareness for animal welfare issues. More on BC SPCA School Club Manual...

Bite Free: Dog Bite Safety  Kindergarten to Grade 5 Bite Free: Dog Bite Safety is step-by-step BC SPCA lesson plan for teaching children why dogs may bite and how to act safely around dogs, complete with activities, background articles on dog behaviour, display material, tips for making a presentation with a dog and a list of related resources. More on Bite Free: Dog Bite Safety...

Cluck! - The life of an egg-laying chicken  Grades 4 - 7 Cluck! - The life of an egg-laying chicken is a BC SPCA unit that contains lessons for the classroom that focuses on introducing students to farming practices, encourages them to think critically about where their food comes from, and teaches young people respect for animals. More on Cluck! - The life of an egg-laying chicken...

Companions for Life: Pet Care Responsibility  Grades 3 - 5 Companions for Life, a BC SPCA lesson plan, focuses on pet care. It is an intermediate-level unit that focuses on responsibility and empathy. More on Companions for Life: Pet Care Responsibility...

Kindness Counts: Empathy Unit  Kindergarten - Grade 2 Kindness Counts, a BC SPCA lesson plan, focuses on empathy. A primary-level, curriculum-linked unit designed to teach students about caring and respect for others, animals and nature. More on Kindness Counts: Empathy Unit...

You Can Make a Difference  Grades 5 - 7 You Can Make a Difference is a BC SPCA lesson plan that includes seven projects students can do to take action for animal. Each project will satisfy several prescribed learning outcomes for language arts, social studies and/or visual arts. More on You Can Make a Difference...