Art & Design
Illustration
Follow Instructions: Learn from talented illustrators by following these step by step instructions for drawing a Rottweiler, Bull Dog, Husky, Yorkie, Golden Retriever, or several other breeds.
Woodworking
Children & Teenagers
Construct: Does your dog have a home of their own? Do you have a backyard to put one? Maybe you ought to build one together with your learner. Browse the abundance of dog house plans here.
Language & Thinking
Learning to Read
Toddlers & Children
Read: Read one of the best-selling children’s books in history, The Poky Little Puppy. Synopsis: “The story of a curious puppy, who digs holes under fences and who has to go to bed without any strawberry shortcake, has delighted families for generations. It is, quite simply, an icon.”
Toddlers & Children
Read: Read Go, Dog. Go!. Synopsis: “From big dogs and little dogs to red, green, and blue dogs, dogs going up and dogs going fast . . . who knew dogs were so busy? And laughter will ensue at the repeated question ‘Do you like my hat?’”
Poetry
Children & Teenagers
Write: Be inspired by the abundance of dog poetry and write a poem of your own. Maybe about your very own loyal canine friend.
Reading Literature
Children
Read: Read what is regarded to be one of the best children’s books of all time, Because of Winn-Dixie. Synopsis: “One summer’s day, ten-year-old India Opal Buloni goes down to the local supermarket for some groceries – and comes home with a dog. But Winn-Dixie is no ordinary dog. It’s because of Winn-Dixie that Opal begins to make friends. And it’s because of Winn-Dixie that she finally dares to ask her father about her mother, who left when Opal was three. In fact, as Opal admits, just about everything that happens that summer is because of Winn-Dixie.”
Viewing & Observing
Create a teachable moment. Forgiveness: How would your dog react if you refused to give them a treat after they begged you for one? Have your learner try and see. Does the dog hold a grudge? Are they mad at you afterward? They aren’t. How about you and me? Do we hold hard feelings toward people who don’t treat us the way we would hope? Every time this happens we have a choice to make. Do we hold a grudge and carry the emotional weight of it for a long time? Or do we forgive them. We are much more successful and our lives more happy when we move on. We all need to learn how to forgive and move forward.
Vocabulary
Children
Review: Review this canine lexicon and see how many words you know.
Leadership & Entrepreneurism
Financial Education
Children & Teenagers
Plan: Be the dog’s financial assistant. What are all the expenses associated with taking care of them? Where are you overspending? How might you cut back your dog care spending?
Physical Education
Teenagers
Exercise: How much cardio exercise is your learner doing? Are you walking the dog enough? Is there an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone here with dog runs?
Science
Zoology
Read: Learn some very interesting things about the Canis familiaris (or “dog”) in this short National Geographic article. Did you know the dog is the most diverse animal specie in the world or that the dog is the earliest domesticated animal in history?
Watch: Have you ever wondered what dogs think about? How do dogs love us? See Dr. Gregory Berns’ TEDx talk that answers these questions and explores what we have learned from dog MRI scans.
Social Sciences
Geography
Children & Teenagers
Research: Browse the available world dog maps and other resources online to learn about where various dog breeds come from. They all have stories of their own and for what reasons humans bred them.
Values
Life Lessons
Ask: The people we love to be around the most are typically visibly happy to see us when we arrive. This is the magic of having a dog in your life and why they’re the most popular pet. Who matters to you in our life? Do you show that to them when you see them?
Virtues
Toddlers & Children
Teach: Point out that the reason dogs are “man’s best friend” is because of their loyalty and that everyone needs loyal friends in their lives. If you want to be a good friend, be loyal to people.