Tilda Teaches Animal Care Teaching Notes
Learning outcomes
Students will:
Learn about activism and brainstorm ways that they can create change for important issues.
Write funny stories about animals.
Learn about Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats as a way to consider an idea.
Make some toys and treats for dogs and cats.
Synopsis
Tilda is desperate for a new puppy like her friend Harry’s cute dog Jimbo. When Tilda goes with Harry to puppy school at Creature Comforts Animal Shelter, she decides that she really must adopt a dog from there too. But Tilda’s parents say that dogs are too expensive, and that Tilda’s little brother Baby Joe is too young for a pet. Tilda decides to raise the $200 she needs for a dog, and then her parents will have to let her get one. She runs Animal Care classes at lunchtime with Binky and Harry, making doggy ropes, cat wand toys and dog biscuits. They sell their creations on Friday and raise plenty of money for a dog, but when they go to Creature Comforts, Baby Joe is terrified and Tilda realises that getting a pet now isn’t a good idea. She decides to be an animal activist and donate the money to Creature Comforts instead, to help care for all the neglected animals that they take care of. Tilda realises that Harry is right – puppies can be very hard work, and she should just be happy that she has cute Baby Joe to play with and look after. Tilda decides to be an animal activist and try to make things better for animals for her whole life, and that she can get a dog in a few years when the time is right.
Themes
Siblings
Charity
Animals
Empathy
Before you read the story
Read the blurb:
Tilda wants to get a dog, but her parents say no. They tell her that Baby Joe is too young for a pet, and that dogs are expensive to keep. But Tilda is sure a dog will be a better family member than Baby Joe, who can be so annoisy — that’s right, annoying and noisy. Tilda decides to make the money she needs for a dog herself. She runs an animal care class, making pet products she can sell. But will Tilda make enough money for her own dog, or will she have an even better idea?
Do you have any pets? What do you do to care for them? What are your favourite animals?
Discussion Questions
Chapter 1
Why does Tilda think it would be more fun to have a puppy at home than having Baby Joe?
What do you think Tilda would need to practise and study if she was going to be a puppy teacher when she grows up?
What is an Animal Shelter? What happens there?
Chapter 2
Why aren’t Harry and Binky excited about helping Tilda get a dog?
Have you ever heard of the Six Thinking Hats before? Have you ever used them?
Do you know anything about activists? What does it mean? What other kinds of activists might there be?
Chapter 3
What kinds of things might teachers have to be prepared for?
Why does Tilda think it’s handy that her parents are teachers?
Why is Tilda’s doggy rope plan good for the environment?
Chapter 4
Can you think of a time one of your teachers has needed to do differentiation? Why is it an important teacher strategy?
Why can’t the cat wands be too heavy?
Why is Tilda disappointed at the park? What could she have done instead of playing frisbee?
Chapter 5
What makes Harry upset?
Do you ever do cooking at home? What are your favourite things to cook?
Why is the TEAM lucky to have Binky’s help with their cooking project?
Chapter 6
Why does Harry think Tilda’s really lucky?
‘Doggy Delights and Kitty Cat Creations’ has two examples of alliteration, where more than one word starts with the same sound. Have you ever written something using alliteration? Can you think of some other examples? Can you find one other example in this chapter? Hint: it’s something Tilda says.
Why is Tilda feeling confused about getting a dog?
Chapter 7
Why does Baby Joe start howling at Creature Comforts?
Why does Tilda want to make a donation to Creature Comforts?
Why do some people choose to adopt a dog from Creature Comforts instead of buying one from a pet shop or a breeder?
Chapter 8
On her Weekly Report, Tilda gives herself a B for ‘Thinking of others’. Can you think of another word for thinking about how someone else might feel? Why is this important?
What are some other ways that Tilda could be an animal activist and help animals for her whole life?
What do you think was the most important lesson Tilda learned this week?
Activities
Doggy Delights and Kitty Cat Creations!
Why not try making some of the creations that Tilda and her friends make? Doggy ropes, cat wands or dog biscuits…You could even have a stall and raise money for a local animal shelter.
Be an Activist!
As a class, have a brainstorm about some of the causes that you’re passionate about. It could be the environment, climate change, animals, homelessness…even some broken play equipment in your local park! Split up into groups, and each group can focus on one of the issues you brainstormed. Make a list of some ways that you could be an activist, to help make things better for that cause. Examples might include:
Researching to learn more about the issue
Posters to raise awareness about the issue in your school or community
Raising money for a related charity
Writing a letter to a local politician
Making better choices in your own life
Then each group can share their list with the rest of the class. Have you thought of any simple ways that you could start to make things better straight away?
Thinking About the Thinking Hats!
Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats are a way of looking at an issue from lots of different perspectives. As a class, choose one of the issues you brainstormed in the last activity. Now try examining the issue using the different hats – is this a helpful way of thinking about the issue? Did you come up with some new ideas? Did it change your thoughts about the issue? NOTE: Tilda goes through the Six Thinking Hats on page 33, but you may want to do some research to learn a little more about them. A good guide can be found on Twinkl.
Hilarious Pet Stories!
Pets sometimes do the funniest things! Write a short story about a pet getting up to mischief. It could be a true story about one of your pets, or it could come straight from your imagination. Start by writing or drawing a quick plan to make sure your story has a proper beginning, middle and end.