Greetings and Opening prayer
First: tell the children the story called "The dog boy". using a projector. The characters should be drawn on black cardboard paper.
Draw the contour of the characters from the story in black cardboard paper: child, mother, dog, boy-dog (a dog could be draw with a boy's head), the dog house, tree, water pot and a bone. Glue each picture on a Popsicle stick.
Place the white bed sheet on a clothesline so it remains firm. The string should be at about five feet from the lamp. Place the figures near the shoe box, with the lamp switched on and observe the image formed on the sheet. The images will be shown as in a movie screen; as a shadow-play - child's play). It is a fun and different way of storytelling.
Second: talking with the children about animals.
a - Who has a pet? Who ever had a pet? Remember that sometimes parents don’t allow the child to have a pet for a reason: they live in apartments, they don’t spend much time at home, the children are young and don’t know how to help caring for the pet.
b - How do you take care of them? Water, food, hygiene, vaccinations, caring; don’t hurt them by playing violently with them.
c - What is the use of animals? Cite animals and how they are important for life on Earth. (Animals maintain the balance of creation, beautify nature and when domesticated they become our friends. They are part of the harmony of the universe and are useful to man and nature.)
d - The animals are God's creation. They are living beings created by God and deserve our love, respect and love.
e - There are institutions that care for abandoned animals. In these places they are given food, warmth and a place to live. We should help maintain them, whenever possible. There are organizations that do research for vaccines and drugs that come from animals.
f - It is important to preserve and live in harmony with animals.
Third: activity: Each child draws his/her pet or the one they would like to have or have had in the past. Drawings can be pasted into a poster. Please glue or draw a house previously, representing our harmonious coexistence with animals. Write on the poster: The animals are created by God. We should love and respect animals. (Or any other phrase suggested by the children).
Suggested text for distribution to the children:
Respect for animals God created animals. They are living sensitive beings that can feel joy and sorrow.
Pets need things such as water, food, hygiene, vaccinations and care.
We should love and respect animals. They are also evolving. It is up to human beings to provide them with conditions to live in harmony with nature so they can fulfil their role in creation.
Suggested Class suitable for: 1st cycle (7 to 8 years old) .
Closing prayer
Translation: Carolina von Scharten, London, linked to BUSS - The British Union of Spiritist Societies.
