Find lesson plans, activities, videos, animal career resources, and professional development for classrooms, families, youth programs, and humane education.
Showing 15 of 15 resources
Being Safe Around Dogs
From Pet Education Partnership
A free animated resource designed to help children understand how to behave safely and respectfully around dogs. It introduces concepts such as giving dogs space, approaching animals appropriately, recognizing when a dog may be uncomfortable, and making safer choices around companion animals.
Grade: Elementary School (Approximately ages 5–11)
Free virtual classroom seminars for children and teens about animal testing, kindness to animals, cruelty-free choices, non-animal alternatives, and ways young people can advocate for animals.
Grade: Elementary School, High School, Middle School
Help students discover the many ways people can build careers that benefit animals. GCHE's adaptable Career Day resource explores traditional animal-care careers as well as opportunities in science, conservation, law, education, writing, design, engineering, and other fields where professional skills can make a difference for animals.
Grade: Elementary School, High School, Middle School (Elementary–High School (pending final GCHE confirmation))
A K–8 humane education program exploring relationships with cats and dogs, responsible care, and companion-animal welfare. Grade-specific versions for K–2, 3–5, and 6–8 include student materials, lesson plans, activities, video content, and family resources.
The Certified Humane Education Specialist program provides structured professional education for people who want to strengthen their humane education knowledge and practice. The online program is designed for traditional and informal educators, advocates, caregivers, and other professionals working with people, animals, and communities.
Grade: College & Adult
Type: Educator Training & Professional Development
Practical guidance from Woodgreen Pets Charity to help children and families interact safely with dogs — including supervising play, respecting a dog's space, and recognizing signs of discomfort.
A free educational library exploring food choices, nutrition, sustainability, food systems, environmental impact, health, and related ethical questions. Resources include videos, lessons, activities, quizzes, discussion prompts, and downloadable teaching materials for audiences ranging from upper elementary students through college and adult learners.
Grade: College & Adult, Elementary School, High School, Middle School (Approximately ages 8–11 through college/adult)
A free humane education curriculum for elementary students focused on dogs, responsible care, compassion, safety, and puppy mills. Separate versions for grades K–2 and 3–5 include five flexible lessons that connect humane education with subjects such as science, language arts, health, math, and social studies.
Healing Species Compassion Education & Violence Prevention
From Healing Species
An animal-assisted compassion education and violence-prevention program using rescued dogs and trained instructors to help young people build empathy, responsibility, resilience, and nonviolent ways of responding to challenges.
Grade: Elementary School, High School, Middle School (Grades 1–12)
Curated humane book recommendations for ages 2–18, organized by age and topic, exploring animal protection, human rights, environmental issues, empathy, and humane values.
Grade: Early Childhood / Pre-K, Elementary School, High School, Middle School (Ages 2–18)
Graduate-level humane education programs provide advanced study for educators, advocates, nonprofit professionals, and others interested in connecting human rights, animal protection, environmental ethics, and education. Available pathways include graduate certificates and degree programs offered in partnership with higher education institutions.
Grade: College & Adult
Type: Educator Training & Professional Development
Service-learning resources help students identify issues affecting people, animals, and the environment and turn their ideas into community projects. Grade-specific lesson plans, activities, project guides, and educator resources support student-led learning from elementary through high school.
Grade: Elementary School, High School, Middle School (K–12 / approximately ages 4–18)
A large free humane education library with teaching guides, lessons, student workbooks, videos, webinars, and other materials covering animal protection, compassion, social justice, environmental issues, companion animals, farm animals, and related topics. Resources span Pre-K through high school, making the library useful across many classroom and youth-program settings.
Grade: Early Childhood / Pre-K, Elementary School, High School, Middle School (Pre-K–12, depending on resource)
Free activity and coloring books introduce younger children to empathy, animal companionship, and humane care through age-appropriate games and activities. Separate versions are available for children ages 6 and under and ages 7–10, making it easy for families and educators to choose the appropriate level.
Grade: Early Childhood / Pre-K, Elementary School (Ages 6 & under; 7–10)
Free K–12 lessons, games, and classroom activities introduce students to chimpanzees, animal welfare, sanctuaries, conservation, animal research, and related issues. Materials include resources for different grade levels, and Georgia educators may also find opportunities for virtual or in-person educational experiences through the Project Chimps sanctuary.
Grade: Elementary School, High School, Middle School (K–12, depending on resource)
Professional development prepares educators and volunteers to use the RedRover Readers curriculum, which combines stories and discussion to help children practice empathy and understand the human-animal bond. Training supports educators, librarians, shelter staff, volunteers, and other people who work with children.
Grade: College & Adult
Type: Educator Training & Professional Development
A Girl Scout Senior badge that helps students explore relationships between people and animals, including companion animals, science, agriculture, and entertainment, and investigate an animal issue they care about.
A free elementary humane education program that helps students explore empathy, compassion, kindness, animals, the environment, bullying, wildlife, and responsible companion-animal care. Separate materials for grades K–2 and 3–5 include teacher guides, activities, worksheets, videos, and other classroom resources.
A collection of humane education films and videos covering the human-animal bond, animal welfare, nature and science, animal-assisted activities, and relationships between people and animals. The collection combines classic humane education films with newer material and can support classroom, community, and professional learning.
Grade: College & Adult, Elementary School, High School, Middle School (Kindergarten through adult, depending on the individual resource)
A free lending program offering humane alternatives to traditional animal dissection and other science activities. Educators and students can access realistic models, classroom sets, software, apps, virtual anatomy tools, and other resources for K–12, college, veterinary, and medical education.
Grade: College & Adult, Elementary School, High School, Middle School (K–12 and postsecondary education)