Spark Engagement: Toolkits for Secondary Educators
Students are interested in animals and the world around them. Tap into this curiosity to drive meaningful learning in thinking, reading, and writing.
Making the Most of These Toolkits
These standards-aligned toolkits make it easy to integrate high-interest, animal-centered content into existing secondary curricula. Because students are naturally interested in animals, these engaging texts, activities, and lessons capture attention, build background knowledge, strengthen literacy and critical thinking skills, and spark meaningful classroom discussions.
Organized by skill and grade band, these flexible, grab-and-go resources help students build reading, writing, discussion, inquiry, and analytical skills while exploring real-world issues through the lens of compassion, ethics, and evidence-based reasoning. Their high-interest topics also make them especially effective for engaging reluctant readers.
My students’ Language Arts skills improved when I taught argumentative writing through the topic of animal testing. They wanted to research, discuss, and write on this topic. Their investment resulted in higher-quality essay drafts. Furthermore, with most having no prior knowledge of animal testing, many students wanted to continue learning about the topic independently. Their curiosity had been sparked—an essential foundation for meaningful learning.
Hillary, 6th grade ELA Teacher
Teach to the Whole Student
While promoting empathy for animals, these ready-to-use toolkits also strengthen students’ inquiry, literacy, discussion, and critical thinking skills. By exploring real-world issues affecting animals, students develop compassion, ethical reasoning, and the ability to evaluate evidence and communicate thoughtful perspectives. Flexible and adaptable, these resources can be easily integrated into existing curricula, allowing you to choose the lessons and activities that best meet your students’ needs.
As you read through these toolkits, you will come across:
✅ green check marks, indicating various ways you can use the resources,
➡️ blue arrows pointing to accompanying resources, and
💡 light bulbs with additional tips.
🌎 Support for Multilingual Learners (ELLs/MLLs)
Students’ natural interest in animals can be a powerful bridge to literacy development. Animal-themed reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities can help multilingual learners connect everyday language with academic language. Because compassion for animals resonates across cultures and languages, it can increase engagement, motivation, and meaningful communication.
Try these strategies with any resource in this toolkit:
- Activate prior knowledge by inviting students to share experiences with animals.
- Use photos, videos, graphic organizers, and realia to support comprehension.
- Provide opportunities for partner talk and small-group discussions.
- Encourage speaking, drawing, and writing to share ideas about animals.
- Allow students to express ideas in their home language as they build English proficiency.
Students who are motivated and engaged experience higher levels of achievement in school. Many studies support the idea that learning with and about animals stimulates and engages students.
Dr. Julie O’Connor, Educational Director for the Animal Protection League of New Jersey