This unit will introduce the learners to the important mission, as well as the needs of animal shelters, both private and municiple.  Learners will understand that they can contribute to animal welfare by aiding a shelter(s) and educating others about the work of shelters.

The learner will:

• define animal shelter, animal welfare, municipal, and non-profit.
• develop a working knowledge of the types of animal shelters.
• identify how a shelter operates for the common good of a community.
• research and share available information found about a local animal shelter’s needs.
• investigate some of the cost involved with running a shelter.
• calculate the cost of keeping a pet and apply that to the cost of running a shelter.
• investigate ways in which shelters are funded.
• define philanthropy, common good, volunteer and donate.
• share their knowledge of why animals are taken to shelters.
• investigate the services provided by shelters.
• discuss some of the volunteer jobs that are available at shelters.
• develop an understanding of what is necessary to have a successful Service Learning project: Investigation, planning, action, reflection, demonstration.
• contact local shelters in their community or other animal welfare groups to determine needs of the organization.
• plan and implement a service project to benefit an animal shelter.
• use math skills to graph the items collected.
• use math skills to estimate the dollar amount donated by the community/school to a local animal shelter.
• reflect on what they have learned about themselves and about taking care of animals after doing this unit.
• create a visual aid to share what they have learned about animal shelters.

Assessment for this unit will be primarily subjective based on the learners’ class participation. The teacher will check for understanding of the terms used in the lesson. A rubric may be created to evaluate the class book(s) created in Lesson Three.

Prior to the beginning of this unit, contact the local animal shelter(s) in your community and see if there might be someone from the shelter that would be willing to come to your class to share information about the shelter and needs of the shelter.

Prior to Lesson Three collect as many containers to distribute around the school/community for the collections drive. The containers should be of a kind that can be decorated with permanent markers.