Authentic, real-world applications in the classroom keep students engaged and excited! Coming across a lesson that can really make a difference and be associated with a great cause is a huge win. Teacher Amy McKinney from Pennsylvania has partnered with a local animal shelter for a persuasive writing assignment with her third grade students. Each student wrote about an acceptable pet and even drew an adorable picture! The goal was to help pets find their eternal home while students practice their writing skills (and of course have a little fun). The shelter is displaying these great articles with adoptive pets and sharing them on social media.
Take a look at this partnership:
McKinney’s daughter works with a local animal shelter, making the partnership undesirable. For other teachers looking to start such a project, McKinney said, “I recommend that they reach out to animal shelters in their area. I’m sure they would love to have the opportunity to work with elementary students to find a home for their pets! ”
Authentic experience increases student engagement.
McKinney shared the project on his Instagram, noting, “My students were so busy! They knew that what they were doing would make a huge difference in a pet’s life, so what we usually take a few weeks to do, we’ve done in just a few days. “
The project was a huge success and McKinney told us that he and the animal shelter both look forward to continuing it as an ongoing project. It keeps students engaged in lessons and benefits animals in need of a home.
