YEAR 1

Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Lesson 6

Show a range of emotion photos – see photo pack SEAL (Any photo dealing with Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning)

Make a collection of flashcards to match these (or get the children to suggest the emotions first)
Discuss why these people look as they do and what might have happened to make them feel that way.

Children to work in small groups to create mini scenarios around these photos.

BDPWINS Lesson 1 Y1 emotions discussion_st_en from Blue Dog on Vimeo.

Act these to each other and discuss the feelings and how these are shown in people’s behaviour. Talk about body language and facial expressions as well as what the characters do and how they move in different situations.
Get the characters to freeze frame and hold a speech bubble over their heads so they can explain what they are thinking or saying in certain situations. Take photos for display later in the term.

Use prepared sheet of speech bubbles for children to write the feelings and thoughts of characters from the photos. Support less able children by writing for them, it is the ideas that are important! Children can draw the characters to match the bubbles, and share the work with their friends. Try to get the children to show in their bodies, faces and voices what they are feeling.

Plenary

What have we learnt about different feelings and emotions?

  • Which emotions did we talk about? (happy, angry, sad, scared)
  • What did we learn about the different emotions? (Talk about how different people reacted and begin to develop the idea that this does not just relate to humans.)
  • Can dogs feel any of the emotions we have talked about?
  • Ask the children to recall Blue dog stories they have heard where Blue was showing his feelings? (When was Blue happy, when was Blue angry)

Make a list of situations when Blue showed his emotions. (e.g. Blue was angry when somebody tried to take away his bone. Blue was happy when he had a soft bed to sleep in)
Compare Blue’s feelings to those of humans. (In which situations are people happy, sad or angry?)

ICT

In ‘Dazzle’ or other drawing package use the shapes to make pictures of facial expressions 
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/inclusion/behaviourattendanceandseal/seal

In the downloads you will find:

  • Pictures for colouring
  • Animal picture cards for games

Example 1: Understanding what a pet is.
Identifying the animal.
Which one is the ideal pet?
Match the animal with the right home.

 Example 2:
Understanding the needs of a dog.
What kind of food does Blue need?
What objects does Blue need?
What things do children need?

Blue is going travelling – what objects would he take?

Think about what toys are suitable for Blue and for the children.
Which objects do children need?
Which are Blue’s favourite toys?
Which are children’s favourite toys?
Food that dogs and children like
Objects that dogs and children like


Understanding that humans and animals may have different emotions

What is important for children ? ( toys, objects, food)
How do you feel when somebody takes away your favourite thing? How would you react?

What is important for Blue? (Food, bones, toys, bed..)
What can be important for both Blue and children?
How does Blue feel when someone takes his favourite thing?
How does Blue react?

The children’s corner can be used as an interactive tool:

Dan’s Zoo
In the Zoo, there are different animals. Look for the ideal pet!

How to play the game:

When an animal appears, pass the computer mouse over the squares and match the one showing the correct colour and animal noise.

Tiny’s Kids
In the game Tiny’s Kids, there are pet and wild animals. Have a look …

In this game, Tiny’s kids are looking for their mum. All kids look different.

Match the right mum and kids.

See how happy the kids are when they find their mum. Listen to mum singing a lullaby.

Blue is thirsty
Blue lives in a nice comfortable home. Right now, Blue is thirsty and looking for a drink. Can you help Blue to find the right water to drink?

Click on the different places that contain water.
Many are not suitable for drinking. Can you help Blue find the one place where the water is for drinking?

Use this game to help talk about a dog’s needs.

Blue is hungry
Blue is hungry and he goes to the shop with his owner. There are many things for sale: some a good for Blue to eat but others are not. Can you help Blue find the food that is good for him?

Click on the different things on the shelves. The wrong things will give him a tummy ache, but the right food will make him happy.

Blue at the vet
Blue is feeling not very well and his owner has taken him to the vet. See Blue sitting on the vet’s table looking sick and a bit scared.

Ask the children to help the vet by clicking on the objects along the bottom.

Blue at the toy shop

Blue is in the toy shop and he is looking for new toys to put in his basket.

Can you help Blue to pick the toys that are best for him?
How does Blue feel when he gets a toy in his basket?

(If he pics a child’s toy, it jumps back on to the shelf)

Assessment

Do the children understand what a pet is?
Do children understand what a dog needs?

Set up a display of the SEAL photos and children’s thought bubbles from previous week. (this may be temporary or a more permanent display – it needs to be available for children to refer to later in the project, so ensure items are collected and stored if they need to be removed from the wall at the end of the day)
Talk to the children about what they remember from last week – what emotions did they discuss, and have they ever felt this way? Allow time to explore feelings with talk partners.

Y1 Emotions role play_st_en from Blue Dog on Vimeo.

Set up small scenarios and allow children time to practice and to work together in pairs or small groups in order to create role plays that they could perform to each other. Remind them about facial expressions and body language. Photograph some of the role plays to add to the display.

Read ‘This is the bear and the scary night’ or similar book to explore one particular emotion. How do the children know that the bear is scared?
After reading, children to make lists of things that scare them and things they think might scare an animal. Less able children could draw things and adult can act as scribe for their ideas.

Plenary

Look at some of the children’s’ lists and talk about their feelings. What do they do when they are scared? Do they think animals do the same or different things to humans?

ICT

The children’s corner can be used as an interactive tool:

Tiny’s Kids
In the game Tiny’s Kids, there are pet and wild animals. Have a look …


In this game, Tiny’s kids are looking for their mum. All kids look different.

Match the right mum and kids.

See how happy the kids are when they find their mum. Listen to mum singing a lullaby.

Dan’s Zoo
In the Zoo, there are different animals. Look for the ideal pet!

How to play the game:

When an animal appears, pass the computer mouse over the squares and match the one showing the correct colour and animal noise.


Dan’s zoo also can be used to talk about the children’s feelings about animals:
– Which animals look friendly?
– Which animals look scary?
– Which animals are scaring me?

Blue at the vet
Blue is feeling not very well and his owner has taken him to the vet. See Blue sitting on the vet’s table looking sick and a bit scared.

Ask the children to help the vet by clicking on the objects along the bottom.

– How is Blue feeling when his paw hurts?
– How is Blue feeling when his eras are painful?
– How is Blue feeling when the vet gives him an injection?

Go to the Download section

The cards can be used to explain that animals including humans have different feelings and emotions, and that emotions affect behaviour. 

  • What is important to Blue ( food toys, objects)
  • What is important to children (food toys, objects)
  • What may be important to both : Blue and children?
  • How does Blue feel when someone takes his favourite ( toy, food, object ) away
  • How do you feel when someone takes your favourite ( toy, food, object ) away
  • How might Blue react?

Assessment

Do the children understand what a pet is?
Do children understand what a dog needs?

Look at ‘emotions’ display and discuss what the children have talked about so far.  Recall what they discussed last week about feeling scared and try to question the children particularly on similarities between them and an animal e.g. feelings of insecurity, worry, frightened etc. and what makes them afraid.

  • What kind of things can scare people? 
  • Are all children scared of the same things?
  • How does it look when somebody is scared?
  • Are all children behaving in the same way when feeling scared?

Ask questions on similarities between themselves and Blue:
Stress that people and dogs can be afraid of different things (somebody can feel fine while someone else feels pretty scared in the same situation). When people / dogs are scared, they may react in different ways.

Blue at the vet:
– How was Blue feeling at the veterinary clinic? (Blue was scared when the vet gave him an injection)
– How did Blue behave when he felt scared? ( He started shaking)
– How did Blue feel after the injection ? (A lot better, he felt cured!)

Focus today on positive emotions and make a list ‘happy’ ‘excited’ ‘pleased’ etc.
Children in talk partners to explain and recall times when they have felt one of these emotions. What happened? How did they show their emotion on their face and with their body?

Use Blue puppet and explain that today we are going to think of things that will make him happy.

  • Children to come up with suggestions about what an animal needs to make them happy. Try to encourage the material things, and also the ephemeral things, which can be more tricky for children to grasp e.g. a toy is very relevant to children’s understanding, but also talk about things such as a safe place in the home.
  • Which situations make Blue happy?
    Material things  (basket, fish toy, bone, food bowl)
    Abstract things (being safe with the family that takes care of him, people that take him out for walks, people who love him..)
  • Remark: In dogs, there is no universal expression of body language associated with happiness. In addition, a happy dog does NOT necessarily mean a safe dog. See text below.

The Blue Dog Interactive CD-rom
Which situations can make Blue feel unhappy/scared/ angry?
Choose a story from The Blue Dog Parent Guide

E.g. page 32. The yellow fish story – Blue is eating, or download the story from the materials

Blue has a new present – a yellow fish that makes a squeaky noise ! He is proud of his new toy and walks to the kitchen with it in his mouth. He then drops it and starts eating from his bowl.

Simon approaches and sits down besides Blue. he strokes him gently on the back. Then suddenly…Oh der.. Blue turns towards Simon showing his teeth and threatening to bite, as if to say: ” I don’t want to be stroked when I am eating”.

E.g. page 28 .The teddy bear story – Blue is sleeping in his basket

Blue is peacefully sleeping in his basket. Sarah wants to say goodnight to Blue and approaches to kiss him gently. Blue opens his eyes and sees Sarah bending over his head. He looks frightened and growls. Sarah does not understand the message and kisses Blue again. Oh dear… now Blue shows his teeth and Sarah goes away crying.

Use Blue puppet and explain that today we are going to think of things that will make him unhappy / scared/ angry
examples:
– Taking away Blue’s yellow toy fish
– Taking away Blue’s bone
– Approaching Blue’s food bowl
– Disturbing Blue while he is sleeping

Complete sheet : How to make Blue Happy / unhappy
Children to complete sheet on ‘What makes Blue happy’ and share with friend.

Example : How can Simon and Sarah make Blue feel happy?
– They offer him a yellow toy fish. Blue is happy because (a yellow squeak fish is his favourite toy)
– They offer him a new chewing bone. Blue is happy because….
– They offer Blue a bowl filled with dog food. Blue is happy because…
– They offer Blue a brand new basket. Blue is happy because…

Example: How can Sarah and Simon make Blue feel unhappy?
– They approach close to Blue’s squeaky fish. Blue is unhappy because (he is scared they will take it away from him)
– They approach close to Blue’s favourite bone. Blue is unhappy because…
– They approach close to Blue’s food bowl. Blue is unhappy because…
– They try to wake up Blue while he is asleep. Blue is unhappy because…

Make a word bank of ideas to help children to complete their task as independently as possible. Lower achieving children could work alongside an adult or be paired with a higher achieving child to work as a team on the task.

Plenary

Play positive music for the children to listen to as the session draws to a close. These should be popular songs that the children are familiar with. Good examples might be: “Reach for the Stars” by S CLUB 7 and “We are the Champions” by Queen


ICT

The children’s corner can be used as an interactive tool:

Tiny’s Kids
In the game Tiny’s Kids, there are pet and wild animals. Have a look …

In this game, Tiny’s kids are looking for their mum. All kids look different.

Match the right mum and kids.

See how happy the kids are when they find their mum. Listen to mum singing a lullaby.

Dan’s Zoo
In the Zoo, there are different animals. Look for the ideal pet!

How to play the game:

When an animal appears, pass the computer mouse over the squares and match the one showing the correct colour and animal noise.

Blue at the vet
Blue is feeling not very well and his owner has taken him to the vet. See Blue sitting on the vet’s table looking sick and a bit scared.

Ask the children to help the vet by clicking on the objects along the bottom.

– How is Blue feeling when his paw hurts?
– How is Blue feeling when his eras are painful?
– How is Blue feeling when the vet gives him an injection?

Blue at the toy shop

Blue is in the toy shop and he is looking for new toys to put in his basket.

Can you help Blue to pick the toys that are best for him?
How does Blue feel when he gets a toy in his basket?

(If he pics a child’s toy, it jumps back on to the shelf)

Go to the Download section

The cards can be used to explain that animals including humans have different feelings and emotions, and that emotions affect behaviour. 

  • What is important to Blue ( food toys, objects)
  • What is important to children (food toys, objects)
  • What may be important to both : Blue and children?
  • How does Blue feel when someone takes his favourite ( toy, food, object ) away
  • How do you feel when someone takes your favourite ( toy, food, object ) away
  • How might Blue react?

Assessment

Do the children understand that animals have different feelings and emotions?
Can they explain how these feelings might affect the behaviour of the animal?

Before lesson add some of the children’s work on ‘What makes Blue happy’ to your emotions board. Add emotions picture and any relevant wording that the children use regularly e.g. not just ‘happy’, but maybe ‘excited’, ‘pleased’ etc.

Discuss the emotions board with the class and draw out the positive aspects
Examples:

  • What do you see? 
  • What are the emotions we’ve talked about in the previous lesson?
  • What makes Blue feel happy? (food, chewing bone, squeaky fish)
  • What makes Blue feel excited? ( ball, squeaky fish, leash) 
  • What makes Blue feel unhappy / scared/ angry ( someone taking away his bone, toy, food)

Discuss s the positive aspects of owning a pet.
Examples:

  • What do you like most about your pet ( Type, colour?  coat? friendly?)
  • Wat type of activities we like to do with our pet? ( Walking? playing? offering a present? petting?) 
  • Who is allowed to helping the parent with taking care of the pet ?

How is Blue feeling?

Use the parent guide page 14 , The Flea story, or download the story from the download section.

Sarah is lying on a blanket drawing in her colouring book while Blue is running in the garden. As Blue runs past her, Sarah reaches out her hand to pet him. Blue, however, does not stop and keeps on running around.

Sarah leaves her blanket and starts to follow him, but Blue is not happy to be chased, and hides under the garden table. Sarah is not aware of Blue’s feelings at this time and wants to get close to him. Oh!… now Blue turns around and growls at Sarah.

Emotion board – brainstorm

This week focus on the range of emotions that the children think a dog has – brainstorm these and add any extra ones to your emotions board.

  • Ask the children how they think they would know when a dog is sad, playful, anxious etc.
  • Try to clarify and clear misconceptions re. Facial expressions or Dog body language.  Importance of stressing that body language will not necessarily indicate happy or sad dog (and safe  or unsafe situations and can be tricky to rely on. ( see extra materials) 
  • Concentrate on situations that can make a dog happy or sad (having a bone , someone taking away his bone). Try to clarify  how a dog might react when feeling sad or angry : running away, hiding, growling,..

The Blue Dog CD-rom

This week explore the Blue Dog CD with the children. Talk about the four areas for exploration and how they can make correct choices for Blue to feel happy and settled in his home and surroundings. Ensure that the children know how to access and use the program before leaving this on a class computer for pairs to explore further during the week.

Drama activities: Dress one of the children as Simon or Sarah from the CD – a stripy top for Simon or simple dress for Sarah is fine; just to get them in character. Or try a mask – see resources.

Children use drama technique ‘Conscience Alley’ to persuade the child to do the right thing for the dog e.g. not to take one of the dogs toys, to leave it alone when it wants to rest etc.

Y1 Conscience Alley_st_en from Blue Dog on Vimeo.

Photograph the children and use speech bubbles to show what might have been said during the session.

Finally, dress a child as a vet or as Blue. Using the drama technique ‘Mantle of the Expert’, the child in role hot seats and answers questions about dog care and dog feelings. Again, photographs can be taken of the session and labeled with child responses.

Example questions to Blue about daily care:
– Blue, what do you need to feel well? ( food, water, basket, ..)
– What else? ( daily walks, people who love me, ..)

Example questions to Blue about positive feelings:
– How do you feeel when you are having a new chewing bone? ( happy, excited)
– How do you feel when your food is tasty? ( happy, joyfull)

Example questions to Blue about negative feelings:
– How do you feel when we take away your chewing bone? ( sad, unhappy)
– How do you feel when we touch your food bowl? ( sad, unhappy, angry)
– How do you feel when we take away your ball?
– How do you feel when we want to hug you while you are having a nap?

Pictures of the scenes can be taken and the answers of the children can be added.

ICT

The children’s corner can be used as an interactive tool:

Tiny’s Kids
In the game Tiny’s Kids, there are pet and wild animals. Have a look …

In this game, Tiny’s kids are looking for their mum. All kids look different.

Match the right mum and kids.

See how happy the kids are when they find their mum. Listen to mum singing a lullaby.

Dan’s Zoo
In the Zoo, there are different animals. Look for the ideal pet!

How to play the game:

When an animal appears, pass the computer mouse over the squares and match the one showing the correct colour and animal noise.

Blue at the vet
Blue is feeling not very well and his owner has taken him to the vet. See Blue sitting on the vet’s table looking sick and a bit scared.

Ask the children to help the vet by clicking on the objects along the bottom.

– How is Blue feeling when his paw hurts?
– How is Blue feeling when his eras are painful?
– How is Blue feeling when the vet gives him an injection?

Blue at the toy shop

Blue is in the toy shop and he is looking for new toys to put in his basket.

Can you help Blue to pick the toys that are best for him?
How does Blue feel when he gets a toy in his basket?

(If he pics a child’s toy, it jumps back on to the shelf)

Go to the Download section

The cards can be used to explain that animals including humans have different feelings and emotions, and that emotions affect behaviour. 


Assessment

Do the children understand that animals have different feelings and emotions?
Can they explain how these feelings might affect the behaviour of the animal?

Discuss the emotions board with the class and draw out the positive aspects and continue to discuss the positive aspects of owning a pet.

  • What do you see? 
  • What have we talked about in the previous lesson?
  • Who owns a pet/ a dog?
  • What do you like most about your pet (Type, colour? coat? friendly?)
  • Wat type of activities we like to do with our pet? ( Walking? playing? offering a present? petting?) 
  • Who is allowed to helping the parent with taking care of the pet?

Making a poster

Explain that this week they are going to create a poster to show the YR children how to look after a dog.
This can be done in several ways depending on the maturity and experience of the class. The children could explore the topic with the teacher and then create their own versions of posters, either individually or in pairs or small groups, or the teacher could lead the groups toward a range of activities as suggested below…

  • LA to create a Dog care poster based around the needs of the animal for space, privacy, basic food and water, training etc .
  • MA to create a ‘watch out’ poster explaining when people should take care around pet dogs e.g. leaving dogs alone when eating, when sleeping or if the animal is ill etc
  • HA to create a ‘Hooray for Dogs’ poster explaining the benefits of owning a dog and how important it is for the family to train the dog consistently, what activities they could do with their dog, how owning a dog can be healthy for the family etc. Find out more from the dog in the family section of the Blue Dog website.

Additional activity about the dog’s feelings:
What are the most important things to a dog ( walking, chewing a bond, playing with a ball…) When the maturity of the children allows it, each of the things a dog likes, can be transformed into a “diamond nine” game about their dog: what is most important / least important you your dog?

Plenary:

Look at the selection of posters and discuss the outcomes. Are the children positive about their work?
Do they know more about the needs of dogs and responsibilities of families to care for them appropriately?
Ensure these posters are shared with other year group and talked about positively.

Example questions:

  • What do you see on the poster?
  • What is the poster about?
  • What can we learn from the poster?

Example questions:
What is important to a dog (food toys, objects)?
What is important to children (food toys, objects)?
What may be important to both : Blue and children?
How do you feel when someone takes your favourite (toy, food, object ) away?
How does a dog feel when someone takes his favourite (toy, food, object)?
How might a dog react when he is happy / unhappy?

Give time for the children to explore the Blue Dog DVD on the class computers this week. Work in pairs and ask children to check their partner’s responses so they know that they and their friend would be safe around a real pet dog.

ICT

  • Go to the Download section: all of the pics can be downloaded in printable version

To understand that animals including humans have different feelings and emotions

Diamond nine game – use groups of nine items (food, toys, objects).

Ask the children  to rate the items from “most important” to “least important” for themselves, for the Blue Dog, for another dog, for their own dog. In this way children can start to discuss the relative value of “important”, i.e. it may differ for each individual.

Example questions:
What item is most / least important for Blue?
What item is most / least important for another dog?
What item is most/least important for your own dog?

To understand how emotions can influence behaviour
Example questions:
– How do you feel when somebody tries to take a high valued object away from you? How would you react?
– How is Blue feeling when a child takes away a high valued object? How would Blue react?

The Scene from the Blue Dog story page 36 illustrates how a child may feel when the dog takes something away that is very important to the child. It also illustrates why such a situation may represent a risk situation in child- dog

Blue steals the remote control
Blue walks into the living room carrying the yellow fish in his mouth, while Simon sits on the sofa, watching his favourite TV program.

Then suddenly, Blue sees a new interesting toy lying on the sofa – the TV remote control. Blue drops his fish, steals the remote control and the TV program changes. Simon gets angry, jumps from the sofa and approaches Blue to take back the stolen object. Simon pulls and pulls, but Blue will not give it back and growls. Now Simon feels annoyed and he runs away in tears.

Assessment

The scene from the yellow fish story illustrates how Blue is feeling when Simon approaches near to his food bowl and his favourite squeaky fish. Find the story in the parent guide page 32 or download in the material section.

Blue has a new present – a yellow toy fish that makes a squeaky noise! He is proud of this new toy and walks to the kitchen with it in his mouth. He then drops it and starts eating from his bowl.

Simon approaches and sits down besides Blue. He strokes him gently on the back. Then suddenly… Oh dear… Blue turns towards Simon showing his teeth and threatening to bite, as if to say: “I don’t want to be stroked when I am eating”.

ICT

The children’s corner can be used as an interactive tool:

Tiny’s Kids
In the game Tiny’s Kids, there are pet and wild animals. Have a look…

In this game, Tiny’s kids are looking for their mum. All kids look different.

Match the right mum and kids.

See how happy the kids are when they find their mum. Listen to mum singing a lullaby.

Dan’s Zoo
In the Zoo, there are different animals. Look for the ideal pet!

How to play the game:

When an animal appears, pass the computer mouse over the squares and match the one showing the correct colour and animal noise.

Which animal is the most beautiful?
Which animal is the cuddliest?
Which animal would you like?

Blue at the vet
Blue is feeling not very well and his owner has taken him to the vet. See Blue sitting on the vet’s table looking sick and a bit scared.

Ask the children to help the vet by clicking on the objects along the bottom.

– How is Blue feeling when his paw hurts?
– How is Blue feeling when his eras are painful?
– How is Blue feeling when the vet gives him an injection?

Blue at the toy shop

Blue is in the toy shop and he is looking for new toys to put in his basket.

Can you help Blue to pick the toys that are best for him?
How does Blue feel when he gets a toy in his basket?

(If he pics a child’s toy, it jumps back on to the shelf)

Go to the Download section

The cards can be used to explain that animals including humans have different feelings and emotions, and that emotions affect behaviour. 

  • What is important to Blue (food toys, objects)?
  • What is important to children (food toys, objects)?
  • What may be important to both : Blue and children?
  • How does Blue feel when someone takes his favourite (toy, food, object) away?
  • How do you feel when someone takes your favourite (toy, food, object) away?
  • How might Blue react?


Assessment

Do the children understand that animals have different feelings and emotions?
Can they explain how these feelings might affect the behaviour of the animal?

This week is a celebratory week for the children to explore and acknowledge all the work they have done on the project.

Talk about the different aspects of dogs that have been adressed in previous lessons:
– To understand what emotions are
– To understand that humans and animals have different emotions
– To understand that emotions affect behaviour
– To understand how emotions affect behaviour

Talk about all we have learnt about dogs and look at some of the posters created by the children, particularly talking about and celebrating why people have dogs, and why we like to have animals in general around us.

Painting activities

Children to explore free painting activities using ready mix paint or water colour work, looking at the CD for inspiration to create their own picture of Blue and his family in a particular setting. Children to talk about their painting to their group and describe what is happening to Blue and how he is feeling.

Creating a Blue Dog Scene


In this exercise the children will create a scene from the Blue Dog DVD : the actors: Simon, Sara, Blue; as well as the props: food bowl, basket, toys, yellow squeaky fish etc.. can be cut out of the cards

Use lolly sticks through cardboard with a strip cut along it, for children to create a moving picture scene from the Blue Dog DVD. Children to explain to their friends what is happening in their scenario and how the family needs to make the right choice for Blue.



Plenary

Look at the selection of paintings and moving pictures and discuss the outcomes.

  • How are the children feeling about their work?
  • Are the children positive about their work?
  • Do they know more about the needs of dogs and responsibilities of families to care for them appropriately?
  • What do dogs need to feel well? (food, water, basket, toys, attention, walks, awareness about the dog’s feelings, this means to sometimes leave the dog alone) 
  • How is Blue behaving when he feels unhappy/ sad/ angry? (Blue walks away and hides under the table, or Blue growls at Sarah & Simon, Blue show his teeth)
  • How should the children react in such a situation? (Ask a parent / grown up for help!)

Ensure these paintings and moving pictures are shared with other year group and talked about positively.

Blue Dog DVD
Give time for the children to explore the DVD on the class computers this week. Work in pairs and ask children to check their partner’s responses so they know that they and their friend would be safe around real dogs.

ICT – extra materials

Go to the Toolbox card games – all of the pics can be downloaded in printable version
To understand that animals including humans have different feelings and emotions.

To understand that animals including humans have different feelings and emotions

Diamond nine game – use groups of nine items (food, toys, objects).

Ask the children  to rate the itmes from “most important ” to “least important” for themselves, for the Blue Dog, for another dog, for their own dog. In this way children can start to discuss the relative value of “important”, i.e it may differ for each individual.

Example questions:
What item is most / least important for Blue?
What item is most / least important for another dog?
What item is most/least important for your own dog?


To understand how emotions can influence behaviour
Example questions:
– How do you feel when somebody tries to take a high valued object away from you? How would you react?
– How is Blue feeling when a child takes away a high valued object? How would Blue react?

The Scene from the Blue Dog story page 32 illustrates how a dog may feel when Simon approaches his favourite sqeaky fish and his food bowl. use the parent guide page 32-33 or download in the materials.

Blue has a new present – a yellow toy fish that makes a squeaky noise! He is proud of this new toy and walks to the kitchen with it in his mouth. He then drops it and starts eating from his bowl.

Simon approaches and sits down besides Blue. He strokes him gently on the back. Then suddenly… Oh dear… Blue turns towards Simon showing his teeth and threatening to bite, as if to say: “I don’t want to be stroked when I am eating”.

To understand how emotions influence behaviour in a context ( action towards the dog)
– How do you feel when someone does something you don’t like? How do you react?
– How is Blue feeling when Sarah is doing something he doesn’t like (petting him)? How may Blue react?

The scene ‘ Blue is sleeping in his basket ‘ from the Teddy bear story, illustrates how children sometimes initiate actions full of good intentions ( kissing the dog nighty night). Unfortunately, when dogs are snoozing or sleeping, they might perceive these actions as a threat and react. In that way, kissing the dog good night; may end up in a risk situation for the child. The story can be found in the parent guide page 28 or downloaded in the materials.

Blue is sleeping in his basket
Blue is peacefully sleeping in his basket. Sarah wants to say goodnight to Blue and approaches to kiss him gently. Blue opens his eyes and sees Sarah bending over his head.

He looks frightened and growls. Sarah does not understand the message and kisses Blue again. Oh dear… now Blue shows his teeth and Sarah goes away crying.

This story illustrates the importance of empathy – how does Blue feel when being kissed in the middle of his sleep, or while snoozing in his basket?

  • The Kidscorner can be used as an interactive tool

Blue is building a home
In this game, Blue wants to built a home…

The children can help Blue by choosing the right element of construction.

In this way Blue will be very happy!


Tiny’s Kids
In the game Tiny’s Kids, there are pet and wild animals. Have a look …

In this game, Tiny’s kids are looking for their mum. All kids look different.

Match the right mum and kids.

See how happy the kids are when they find their mum. Listen to mum singing a lullaby.

Dan’s Zoo
In the Zoo, there are different animals. Look for the ideal pet!

How to play the game:

When an animal appears, pass the computer mouse over the squares and match the one showing the correct colour and animal noise.

Which animal is the most beautiful?
Which animal is the cuddliest?
Which animal would you like?

Blue at the vet
Blue is feeling not very well and his owner has taken him to the vet. See Blue sitting on the vet’s table looking sick and a bit scared.

Ask the children to help the vet by clicking on the objects along the bottom.

– How is Blue feeling when his paw hurts?
– How is Blue feeling when his eras are painful?
– How is Blue feeling when the vet gives him an injection?

Blue at the toy shop

Blue is in the toy shop and he is looking for new toys to put in his basket.

Can you help Blue to pick the toys that are best for him?
How does Blue feel when he gets a toy in his basket?

(If he pics a child’s toy, it jumps back on to the shelf)

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The cards can be used to explain that animals including humans have different feelings and emotions, and that emotions affect behaviour. 

  • What is important to Blue (food toys, objects)?
  • What is important to children (food toys, objects)?
  • What may be important to both : Blue and children?
  • How does Blue feel when someone takes his favourite (toy, food, object) away?
  • How do you feel when someone takes your favourite (toy, food, object) away?
  • How might Blue react?


Assessment

Do the children understand that animals have different feelings and emotions?
Can they explain how these feelings might affect the behaviour of the animal?