Students of the HUMANe HUMANs program of the SASF
Courtesy Southampton Animal Shelter
The Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF) announced the launch of HUMANe HUMANs, a humane education program aimed at teaching students in Kindergarten to Grade 5 about the humane treatment of animals. They are currently offering a pilot version of the program to local teachers and administrators for second and fifth graders, to promote kindness and compassion to animals and to provide information about the role that SASF and shelters like this play. these are playing in the community.
Created by certified New York State teachers and shelter staff, HUMANe HUMANs courses are designed to meet Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), DASA (Dignity for All Students Act), Common Core and other state and federal mandates; and to align with current classroom study without disruption of teacher performance. Educators can choose from a series of mini-lessons, or warm-ups, and comprehensive lessons that provide opportunities in ELA, science, social studies, math, and STEAM. Each grade level will also produce a culminating project as part of the program.
To implement this, SASF is sending schools a comprehensive lesson package, along with a resource guide with a list of recommended readings for teachers and librarians. Participating educators are encouraged to take students on a field trip to the shelter as part of their humanitarian education, but this is not a requirement.
SASF offers four virtual classroom videos on its website, southamptonanimalshelter.com, to help children begin their human education. The videos – including “All About Animal Shelters,” “Wild Animals Vs Pets,” “Fostering a Pet” and “Building a Wild Cat Shelter” – will give anyone interested in this program a picture. of what might be offered in the classroom.
If the HUMANe HUMANs pilot program is successful with second and fifth graders, SASF hopes to share plans for students in Kindergarten and Kindergarten, as well as Grades 1, 3 and 4. The end goal is to teach young people empathy and compassion, especially towards animals, whether wild or domestic.