"Choices Cards" Activity

Title: “Choices Cards” Activity
Author/Producer: Cards by TeachKind; Activity idea by Zoe Weil, Rae Sikora, and The International Institution for Humane Education
Suggested Age Range: Ages 8 and up (cards) and 11 and up (student handout)
Item Type: Cards and activity sheets
Specs: Nine pages (8 1/2”x11”): 32 “Choices Cards” and one teachers’ guide/student handout
Price: Download for free
Suitable for the Following Subjects: Ethics, humane education, language arts, science, social science
Misc:
Symbol Key
How to Order: Download for free

Description: This activity is taken from the Sowing Seeds Workbook: A Humane Education Primer. The activity allows students to choose between two options by determining which choice is best for animals and why. It is a wonderful way to start discussions on society’s use of animals and to empower students by helping them see how their personal choices make a difference.

Suggested Uses: This activity can be used on its own or as part of the “Perspectives on Animals” lesson.

Tell students that this activity, which will introduce them to a variety of ways in which animals are used in our society, is not designed to tell them how to behave or what is right or wrong. Rather, it is intended to get them to think about how the choices that they make every day—even those that they might not even think about—affect animals.
Ask them to form groups of four or five. Give one card to each student. Each card provides two choices, one on each side. Ask students to determine which choice harms animals the least and why. If students are unfamiliar with the choices, encourage them to ask you for clarification. Ask each student to share his or her answers with other members of the group, then have each group chose one card to share with the class.

If your students are in grade six or above, distribute the handout and ask them to do additional research. The handout mentions several Web sites where students can start their research.

Making the Cards: Print the PDF pages. Copy them, back-to-back, onto card-stock paper. Make sure the PDFs line up so that the same number is on each side of the card. Then simply cut the cards apart along the lines. The last page provides information to help teachers explain the issues addressed by the cards and can also be used as a handout for older students.

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