T.E.A.L.A.: THE EDUCATIONAL ANIMAL LINK ADVANTAGE
by
Chanel Nicholson
B.Ed., University of Northern British Columbia, 2012

PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTERS OF EDUCATION
IN
SPEICAL EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA
April 2018
© Chanel Nicholson, 2018

ii

Abstract
Schools are changing to accommodate twenty-first century families with more
attention on the development of social and emotional learning for students entering
elementary school. This project provides a manual that is suitable for the integration of
animals into a classroom with a purpose for social emotional learning. By using therapy dogs
in schools, the animal would serve a dual purpose of working with students who require
support, as well as teaching social emotional learning, focusing on empathy. The manual is
influenced by current social emotional learning programs and the benefits of animal assisted
for atypical learners with autism. The lesson plans in the manual include activities designed
to teach different emotions using stories of animals that would help students make
connections to the emotions of the animal and others and eventually to recognize emotions in
one self.

Social-emotional learning, Animal assisted therapy, empathy,

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract

ii

Table of Contents

iii

Acknowledgment

v

Chapter One: Introduction

1

Significance of Project

1

Background of Project

2

Personal Location

3

Chapter Two: Literature Review

5

Introduction

5

What is Social Emotional Learning?

6

Teaching Social Emotional Learning:
Effectiveness of intervention programs

7

Social Emotional Programs:
Fun Friends

9

Roots of Empathy

10

Improving Academic Achievement

12

Social Emotional Learning and Special Needs:
Children with Learning Disabilities

13

Emotions and Autism

14

Animal Assisted Therapy

15

Influence of Animals on Child Development

16

Influence of Therapy Dogs

18

iv

Therapy Animals and Learning

19

Animal Assisted Therapy and Special Needs

21

Socialization, Anxiety and Animal Assisted Therapy

22

Autism and Animal Assisted Therapy

22

Summary

23

Chapter Three: Taking Pawsitive Steps Program

25

Introduction

25

Description of project

26

Objectives of Taking Pawsitive Steps program

26

Taking Pawsitive Steps Lesson Plans

28

Summary

50

References

51

v

Acknowledgment
I would like to thank the members of my committee, Linda O’Neill, Tina Fraser and Krista
Levar for the inspiration to follow my heart, write about my passion and for the
encouragement and excitement towards my topic.

I would also like to thank my family and friends for the continuous support I have received
throughout my learning journey. I would not have made it this far without their support,
enriching conversations and their love.

Finally, I would like to thank my furry little friend, Teala. Who could imagine a dog could be
my inspiration. An exciting adventure awaits us, Teala.

1

Chapter One
Introduction
Looking at our elementary schools today, teachers and staff are exposed to many
innovative ways to teach our learners by building on social emotional skills, identifying and
managing behavioural needs, meeting the challenges of our diverse classrooms and learning
to overcome these challenges and creating an environment where students are successful,
both academic and socially. Imagine a school that provided an opportunity for students to
create a bond with an animal that could assist students in all areas of learning. I believe
schools can provide a positive learning environment, through the use of animal assisted
therapy for many different needs, such as learning supports, behavioural supports and
emotional supports. The use of animals can help teachers to connect with our students with
disabilities or behavioural needs within an elementary school setting potentially creating a
learning environment that is all inclusive. With the unconditional love, attention and
acceptance a furry friend can provide, schools could use animals as a strategy for success; for
students to feel safe and comfortable at school, building confidence in their ability to learn as
well develop skills such as empathy, compassion, and kindness with an animal as their
guidance.
Significance of the Project
Animal Assisted Therapy is beginning to become more popular in North America
within counselling positions and school settings, providing comfort to students and
welcoming them into a lower stress environment where students are able to feel that
unconditional support and acceptance an animal can provide. Quite commonly dogs, cats and
horses are used for Animal Assisted Therapy but many other smaller animals are also used

2

(Chandler, 2001). Animals can be successful in school settings to bring joy and happiness to
the environment, as well as providing a service such as teaching students about kindness and
compassion. It has been noted that animals in a school setting have been proven to enhance
humane attitudes towards animals, therefore creating more empathetic attitudes towards
others (Chandler, 2001). Animal assisted therapy (AAT) is a goal-oriented program that is
used to develop emotional, social, cognitive and physical functioning with the use of animals
in order to enhance quality of life and increase socialization (Vincent, Kropp, & Byrne,
2014). As more information on animal assisted therapy is becoming available, I suggest the
need to explore the benefits in an elementary school acknowledging teachers are beginning
to see more challenges with social emotional learning in the classroom.
Background of Project
In researching the topic of therapy dogs in a school environment, I came across a
program called Charlotte’s Litter (Charlotte's Litter, 2013). In reading this program I learned
this program was designed after the horrific shooting that took place at Sandy Hook
Elementary school in 2012. A family of one of the students’ shot created a program using
therapy dogs to support and comfort the students that went back to school after this very
traumatic event (Herman, 2015). After reading about this program, I then became motivated
to create a program with a focus on therapy dogs and teaching empathy. If teachers can teach
students to be empathetic towards an animal, such as a dog, then maybe it is possible to teach
students to be more empathetic towards one another creating a much more harmonious
environment as school. Charlotte’s Litter is a program developed to help administrators and
educators bring a therapy dog to their school (Charlotte's Litter, 2013). I was inspired by this
program and felt the only thing they did not include was a manual on how a teacher can use

3

the animal assisted therapy dog to teach social emotional learning both for students of special
needs and typical students in the class, as well as maintaining curricular components.
Personal Location
This project is important to me as I have recently trained my dog, Teala, as a therapy
dog. I have been working with my four-year-old Labrador retriever since she was a puppy to
take her down the path of a therapy dog. Having worked in a school with a therapy dog, I
was inspired to train my dog as I saw such an incredible response to a classroom animal. The
learning environment was calm and the students learned how to take care of their classroom
dog. Students who struggled with learning were able to identify when they needed a break
and were able to use the dog as a strategy to calm down. If teachers can provide a calm
learning environment, they might be able to see success for all different kinds of learners in
the class. Teachers would be able to maximize our inclusivity so every student could feel
successful. I continue to see areas in which an animal would be beneficial for student with
disabilities such as autism or emotional behaviour disorders as they may not have the correct
ways of showing proper emotions necessary for particular situations. I began to wonder if
student can learn emotions not just from the teacher, but rather an animal. My curiosity grew
as I watched my current Kindergarten class participate in a program called Roots of
Empathy; a program designed to teach children about empathy with the example of a baby.
The baby visited once a month to the classroom and the children were able to watch this
baby grow and develop. In witnessing the success of this program with five and six-year
olds, ideas flowed and my excitement grew as I finally figured out my dog’s purpose, not
only to fetch a ball and be my companion, but rather to help children through their
educational journey as a teacher, cozy companion or a student’s tool for success. Can Teala,

4

the therapy dog, teach students about emotions? Can they relate to a dog and in turn learn
what it means to be empathetic? In my project, I have focused on incorporating therapy
animals into a classroom through a set of lesson plans that will teach students first, by
introducing animals into the classroom followed by teaching students about empathy.
Through this project, lessons have been created for teachers to administer to their classes
from Kindergarten to grade three teaching skills that address the different stages of emotions
and how a therapy animal, in particular a dog, can be used as a tool to emotionally support
students in a classroom. Student will be able to learn about emotions through activities that
involve weekly visits with animals in the classroom. The areas of focus throughout this
project include social emotional learning, animal assisted support, students with special
needs and how these topics connect to one another. The goal of this project is to find a way
to include all learners in learning, including students who portray atypical behaviours and
their effects on the classroom environment and how they can benefit from animal assisted
therapy, along with typical learners in the classroom and their relationship with therapy
animals. In the next chapter, I will explore the questions as to why it is beneficial for a
therapy dog to be a part of a learning environment and who will benefit. Through the
exploration of social emotional learning and animal assisted therapy program, I have
developed a teacher manual that is suitable for the integration of animals into a classroom
with a purpose for learning.

5

Chapter Two: Literature Review
Introduction
An increasing demand for social and emotional competencies has become one of the
focuses for twenty-first century learning in elementary schools. Studies have shown that
child-parent interaction prior to preschool can have a strong positive or negative effect on
social emotional development in young children, (Denham, Renwick, & Holt, 1991);
therefore more literature is available on the topic of children and their social and emotion
development. Learning emotions is not an easy task for children on their own, and most often
children rely on their parents for guidance and lasting impressions. Children whose parents
view emotions in a positive way are more likely to nurture a child’s emotional development
as opposed to parents who ignore emotions or minimize their child’s emotions (Castro,
Halberstadt, Lozada, & Craig, 2014). Larsen (2007) stated that older children are more likely
to experience mixed emotions compared to younger children due to their developmental age.
If children struggle to identify mixed emotions at a younger age, are they able to understand
and reflect upon their own emotions, regulate their emotions and are they able to understand
what empathy is and recognize it among peers? There is a need to encourage positive
development and to prevent behaviours that could become problematic due to a lack in social
emotional competencies (Larsen, To, & Fireman, 2007; Weissberg & O'Brien, 2004). There
are many studies on this current topic of social emotional learning and development and its
connection to learning disabilities. This literature review will cover the topics of social
emotional development and the use of animal assisted therapy as a means of addressing
emotional developmental needs in children and children with special needs. An additional
goal of this literature review will be to explore whether it is possible for animal-assisted

6

therapy to aid in developing emotions and teaching empathy. In reviewing the literature,
studies were reviewed from databases such as JSTOR, ERIC and PsycINFO and used to
compare different programs available for teaching social emotional learning and empathy to
elementary school students. A content analysis was conducted to determine the strengths and
weaknesses of social emotional programs already in use, as well as examining programs
using therapy animals as a form of teaching. Programs addressing the topic of teaching
empathy, and emotions were also explored.
What is Social Emotional Learning?
Social emotional learning is defined as the ability to recognize ones’ emotions,
manage emotions, establish and maintain positive goals, positive relationships and making
decisions in an emotionally competent manner. Social emotional learning requires one to be
able to understand the interpersonal situations needed to handle a social situation (Durlak,
Weissberg, Schellinger, Dymnicki, & Taylor, 2011). Schools and teachers play an important
role in developing social emotional learning for all ages. Durlak et al. (2011) stated social
emotional learning has many benefits on children’s success in both their schooling and in
their life. Social emotional development in young children has been highlighted as an
important foundation for future success and well-being. It is a way for young children to
learn about their own well-being and it is identified to be an important skill to have prior to
entering school (Ashdown & Bernard, 2012). Weissberg & O'Brien (2004) stated that life
for children has changed during the twenty-first century in multiple ways including
“increased economic and social pressures on families, easier access to media that encourages
health-damaging behavior, and weakening of social institutions that were once expected to
fulfill emotional and social needs of growing children, such as family, church and

7

community” (p.87). The twenty-first century has not only changed for families, but it has
changed for schools too, with more attention needed on the development of social and
emotional learning as students increasingly lack social and emotional competencies
(Weissberg & O'Brien, 2004). According to The National Academy of Sciences, less than
half of children entering school have the social and emotional skills traditionally required for
Kindergarten (Ashdown & Bernard, 2012).
Teaching Social Emotional Learning:
Effectiveness of Intervention Programs
Research has shown that in order for social and emotional development to be taught
in schools, teachers and social emotional learning (SEL) programs play an important role in
learning. The effectiveness of social-emotional learning programs is derived from formal
lessons being taught. Literature supports the effectiveness of explicit instruction of SEL
programs taught to young children and the results have demonstrated positive effects on both
cognitive and academic outcomes. A program called You Can Do It! Early Childhood
Education Program was used to explicitly teach young children, in Australia, social and
emotional skills and competencies. Studies have been completed on the positive results of the
study, but a controlled study investigating the effects had not been completed. This study
supported the view that social-emotional competence is the foundation for academic
achievement and well-being of young children. Ashdown and Bernard (2012) identified the
limitations of the study to be a small sample size of participants, due to the fact that only one
school was involved in the study. Some early childhood scholars disagree with explicit,
teacher led instruction as they feel it is not appropriate for teaching social and emotional
learning. Early childhood scholars believe that social and emotional learning should be

8

achieved by creating environments where adults respond in a way that is personalized to the
child’s needs (Ashdown & Bernard, 2012). Other areas this study did not address were areas
with schools with diverse needs. Students selected for this study were all reported to be from
low socio-economic status, which identified a specific need for social emotional learning
attention in students with low socio-economic status, but the study fails to address social
emotional needs in other socio-economic categories such as middle and high class. This
study could have further connected to other programs that are available with the use of
explicit instruction that focuses on teaching social emotional learning to children. In
comparison, Anderson (2010) studied the effects of incorporating dogs into a classroom with
students of low socio-economic status to see the benefits. The students benefiting in the
study were mainly students with severe emotional disorders. The effectiveness of the animal
in the classroom provides more evidence to support animal in the classroom (Anderson &
Olson, 2010).
Studies are continuing to explore programs suitable for teaching social emotional
learning. Weissberg and O’Brien (2004) researched three programs teaching social and
emotional learning that have effectively and successfully been implemented in schools. Each
program approaches social emotional learning in different ways, but they are all able to
positively link social emotional learning development and academic performances. The
commonalities of the three programs include the use of peer relationships to foster social and
emotional learning and developing emotional awareness. Two of the programs work to build
on family relationships, connecting teachers, students and home (Weissberg & O'Brien,
2004). One main shortcoming of these programs is that some students have little family
involvement in their schooling, whether it is due to two parents working all the time, low

9

socio-economic situations or a lack of attention from their parents. With these programs
relying heavily on family support, the successes of the programs may be impaired and social
emotional learning outcomes damaged. This could weaken any apparent positive effects the
intervention programs may have.
Social Emotional Programs:
Fun FRIENDS
Social emotional learning programs that are believed to have significant positive
effects are programs in which universal preventions and promotions are encouraged. SEL
programs that focus on universal instruction increase their likelihood of success in teaching
social-emotional competence and therefore show improvements towards attitudes of self,
others and school, and pro-social behaviours. (Raimundo & Marques-Pinto, 2010). The
FRIENDS program, developed by Dr. Paula Barrett, was designed as a universal prevention
program that supports emotional resiliency. This program consists of Learning/ Behaviour,
Cognitive and Physiological components. The word FRIENDS is an acronym and was
chosen to remind program participants of the steps to take when feeling anxious; F- Feeling
worried? R- Relax and feeling good, I- I can do it! E- Explore solutions and coping step plan,
N- Now reward yourself, D-Don’t forget to practice and S- Stay cool! (Rodgers & Dunsmir,
2015).The program’s original focus targeted the treatment of childhood anxiety through
cognitive behavioural therapy interventions programs; a program which is designed to
prevent, but also treat childhood anxieties. The FRIENDS program is not only designed for
treatment of anxiety through intervention or preventative practice, but rather to address and
enhance children’s emotional resilience. FRIENDS is a program that has shown positive
effects on emotional resilience through the ten week sessions with target groups of nine and

10

ten year olds and has shown reduced levels of anxiety and better self-esteem (Stallard et al.,
2005).
An extension of the FRIENDS program is a version created for children ages four to
seven called Fun FRIENDS. Fun FRIENDS consists of five components that directly link to
social emotional learning through a sense of self, social skills, self-regulation, and
responsibility for other and prosocial behaviours. Fun FRIENDS is designed with the
effective model of universal prevention with a focus on promoting protective factors like
social well-being and preventing the onset of possible social anxieties (Barrett, Fisak, &
Cooper, 2015). As more research on anxiety and social emotional learning is unveiled,
studies are being conducted to determine the effectiveness of programs like FRIENDS.
Carlyle (2014) studied the effects of Fun FRIENDS on preschool aged children with anxiety
disorder. Her findings indicated a decrease in anxiety diagnosis and improvements in
children’s resiliency post intervention. However, there are considerable limitations in this
study affecting the impact of its conclusions as further research needs to be completed since
no control group was tested. Additional long term research into the study could help
demonstrate if there are robust lasting effects beyond the programs immediate time frame
(Carlyle, 2014).
Roots of Empathy
Roots of Empathy (ROE), an evidence-based program, created by Mary Gordon to
increase empathy in a classroom by raising social and emotional competencies and reducing
the levels of aggression in school aged children (Gordon & Green, 2004). As seen as an
intervention program, ROE was developed to focus on social emotional understanding,
promoting prosocial behaviour and decreasing aggression and increasing knowledge about

11

infant development through the use of an infant under a year old and a parent to visit once a
month over the nine month period of instruction (Schonert-Reichl, Smith, Zaidman-Zait, &
Hertzman, 2012). ROE is tailored to support students from kindergarten to grade 8 through
discussions on perspective taking, child development, interactions and observations focusing
on the development of student’s emotions. The infant is used as a catalyst to discuss feelings
like compassion, empathy and building on student’s ability to identify feelings and talking
about their own feelings (Andrew, 2000). ROE connects what the infant is doing to how the
students feel when they observe the infant. Throughout the ROE program, students are able
better understand empathy and shift from focussing on the infant’s physical needs to being
able to identify the infant’s emotional needs (Grantham, 1999).
Comparable to the FRIENDS program, ROE was designed as an intervention
program to support social emotional competency through increasing positive behaviour and
prevent problematic behaviours. Through curricular components reflecting theories and
research of development, children learn lessons that can then be applied in other aspects of
their life not just in the ROE program (Gordon & Green, 2004). Schonert-Reichl et al.,
(2012) examined the effectiveness of ROE on children’s emotional understanding to
determine the development of emotion and its link to children’s social environment. The
study identified an increase in prosocial behaviours in comparison to the children in the
control group as well as a decrease in proactive and reactive aggression. The value of both
the FRIENDS and ROE programs is that they support the effectiveness of SEL programs
implemented to improve their target goal (Carlyle, 2014; Schonert-Reichl et al., 2012).
Limitations to the ROE program in this particular study indicated the multiple layers of
lessons and topics of focus made it difficult to determine the specific factor attributing to

12

social emotional development and understanding (Schonert-Reichl et al., 2012). Within these
detailed social emotional programs, further research is required to identify SEL programs
usings animals such as therapy animals in order to improve social emotional learning.
Improving Academic Achievement
Weissberg and O’Brien (2004) concluded that social and emotional learning is a
framework for addressing the increasing demands of students in school. The evidence on
social and emotional programs continues to demonstrate strong findings and program
implementation correlates with improved well-being of students as well as their successes in
school through proper instruction of social and emotional learning. To increase academic
achievement among students who struggle with social and emotional learning, students must
be able manage emotions as it could impede their learning (Durlak et al., 2011). Due to the
multitude of students coming into schools with low social and emotional skills, a lack of
connection is being formed in students moving from elementary school to middle school
which in turn may negatively affects students’ academic and behavioural success in school.
Through integrating social emotional learning into the classroom with quality instruction,
students are able to learn through a safe and comfortable environment fostering skills such as
self-awareness, self-management and social awareness. Current findings on social emotional
programs identified that using social emotional learning programs had significant positive
effects on social and emotional learning for students. There were connections to
improvements in academic achievement and students’ prosocial behaviour increased (Durlak
et al., 2011). With social emotional learning having such positive effects on students’
academic achievements and prosocial behaviours, then the use of teacher instruction should
be utilized in classrooms to promote social emotional learning.

13

Social emotional learning has been defined as the ability to recognize one’s emotions
and more, but it can also be defined as an “approach that teaches individuals to recognize and
express the social and emotional aspects of their lives” (Norris, 2003 p. 314). Social
emotional learning is not a program, but there are programs to implement social emotional
learning into the classroom. Although studies have shown that programs are effective in
teaching social emotional learning, Norris (2003) identified social emotional learning as
being part of the teacher’s organizational routines and classroom management systems that
support and create a positive environment where social emotional learning can grow and
develop. If children learn best and develop social emotional competencies in a safe, caring
environment, then more research is needed on how to facilitate teachers in implementing this
practice.
Social Emotional Learning and Special Needs:
Children with Learning Disabilities
In the context of social emotional learning, there are many active research areas
which can be addressed; one of those topics relates to the issues of students with special
needs understanding emotions in themselves and others. Social emotional learning can be a
particularly hard topic for students with learning disabilities, or any disabilities, as many
students with special needs also struggle with social settings. Students with learning
disabilities can have difficulties building social relationship with peers and often struggle
with interactions with peers and adults. Students with learning disabilities are often less
likely to understand their social environment, and may lack understandings of complex
interactions due to a possible lack of communication skills, as seen in non-verbal students, or
cognitive impairments that would prevent social understanding (Elias, 2004). Social

14

emotional learning is therefore important for students with learning disabilities as it can
create inclusion in the classroom and skills taught through social emotional learning are
skills students with disabilities commonly lack. Elias (2004) identified three skill areas of
social emotional learning to assist students with learning disabilities to bridge the gap of
relating emotions which are recognized as areas where social emotional learning provides
interventions for learning disabled students. These three skills are i) recognizing emotions in
one’s self and other, ii) regulating and managing strong emotions and iii) connecting
strengths and areas of need. Part of being able to identify feelings among one’s self,
individuals must recognize their feeling vocabulary; an area in which students with learning
disabilities tend to struggle with the identification of their own emotion (Elias, 2004).
Learning strategies such as using anger thermometer tools can help students identify and
manage their emotions- an anger thermometer tool is an image of a thermometer and is used
for students to identify if they are calm or angry using the visual thermometer. Although this
article is very informative, little connection is made between the appropriate intervention and
how to teach students with learning disabilities social emotional skills.
Emotions and Autism
In studying social emotional learning and the correlation to special needs, it is
important to identify students who may find social emotional learning to be challenging.
Perhaps no group struggles more in developing social emotional skills than autistic children
whose defining characteristic is a limited ability to recognize emotions. Emotional
recognition is an important part of everyday communication both in and out of the
classroom, and plays a crucial role in social interactions by confirming contextual
understanding of a conversation. (Ryan & Charragain, 2010). Autistic children are often

15

unable to recognize many facial expressions, which in turn erects a non-verbal barrier in
communicating with others. Currently, the vast majority of published literature suggests that
children with disabilities, such as autistic children, have difficulties with social relationships
(Elias, 2004). Ryan and Charragain (2010) studied the effect of teaching children with autism
different elements of faces through identifying facial expressions, such as happy or sad in
order to teach autistic students about emotions. The results of this study suggest that
relatively simple emotions such as happiness and sadness are readily identified by autistic
children and performance was close to average, but autistic children had more difficulty with
more complex emotions such as surprise. It is clear that in order to create an effective and
enduring SEL strategy for autistic children, further research is required for a better
understanding of the theory of mind skills and how they uniquely pertain to children with
autism.
Animal Assisted Therapy
Human and animal interactions are becoming increasingly important in our society as
research has shown the positive effects of human- animal interactions and their influence on
an individual’s well-being (Yap, Scheinberg, & Williams, 2017). The concept of therapeutic
animals is not a new phenomenon, as farmers have used animals for therapeutic reasons for
centuries and research on dolphin, canine and horse therapy is available among the literature,
but research on animal assisted therapy and its relationship with children with disabilities is
rather limited (Yap et al., 2017). With a constant stream of new findings on animal assisted
therapy, it has not been forgotten that Boris Levinson was the original pioneer of animal
assisted therapy. His pioneering work as a child psychologist in the 1960s identified that
“dogs acted as a ‘social lubricant’ between the therapist and child” (Friesen, 2010, p.262),

16

recognizing the affinity children have towards animals and therefore creating a more relaxed
environment that is created with the presence of an animal (Friesen, Exploring animalassisted prgrams with children in school and therapeutic contexts, 2010).
Animal assisted therapy (AAT) is a goal-oriented program that is used to develop
emotional, social, cognitive and physical functioning with the use of animals in order to
enhance quality of life and increase socialization. Research on animal assisted therapy and
animal assisted activities are becoming more available in relation to working with disabilities
and fostering of social relationships and emotions. Literature has focused on the social
relationship and interactions during animal assisted therapy with children and has said to be
an effective treatment tool (Vincent, Kropp, & Byrne, 2014). The key role of animal assisted
therapy in our elementary schools is to provide an opportunity for students to learn about
socially important behaviours, learning about emotions and how to manage them, as well as
engaging in positive peer interactions (Baumgartner & Cho, 2014). Animal assisted therapy
encourages connections through social emotional learning and benefits both the child and the
animal.
Influence of Animals on Child Development
Through identifying the stages of development in children, animals can have a direct
link to the success of social and emotional development when a companion animal is present
in their life (Endenburg & van Lith, 2011). In breaking down the stages of development,
evidence supports the involvement of companion animals and its positive effects on social,
emotional and cognitive development. As seen in a 9-month study in a school classroom, a
child’s self-esteem development increased due to the presence of a companion animal in the
classroom leading researchers to believe companion animals can aid in a child’s emotional

17

development (Endenburg & van Lith, 2011). This literature connects to Weissberg and
O’Brien’s (2004) study on the social emotional programs with proper teacher instruction
improving student well-being; therefore, further studies should be completed on the impact
of companion animals in a school setting and the connection to social emotional
development in children.
In addition to the increase in positive social interactions and the child’s general wellbeing, researchers have highlighted another important area of social development
emphasized by companion animals. Children with companion animals are more likely to
learn empathy through animals and in turn will be able to detect emotions and empathy in
other people. Studies have shown that children with a connection to an animal such as a
companion animal will often have an increasingly positive attitude towards animals and
demonstrate more empathy (Endenburg & van Lith, 2011). With such a small amount of
literature indicating the positive effect of social development and empathy with the
assistance of animals, more research is required on the lasting effects of empathy introduced
by incredible child-animal bonds. Cognitive development, in respect to companion animals,
also was reported on; with finding of improvements among children with an animal bond
indicating that animals are a “powerful motivators for learning” (Endenburg & van Lith,
2011, p. 211) as students will retain more information learned if they are emotionally
investing in their learning. Moreover, studies on companion animals and cognitive learning
suggested people with disabilities could concentrate better when they worked with animals
(Endenburg & van Lith, 2011). Companionship in animals has been noted in the research for
having an incredible bond between animal and owner and contributed to the physiological
well- being of both children and adults alike. Endenburg and van Lith (2012) stated social

18

animals such as dogs have a natural tendency to bond with people, while maintaining a calm,
lower stress environment which provides many with comfort and ease through different
therapeutic situations in life. The preliminary findings seemed to encourage positive
experiences in the social and emotional development of a child with a companion animal
present; more research needs to be explored, in depth, between animal bonds and child
development.
Influence of Therapy Dogs
The influence of animal assisted therapy with the use of dogs in particular, on social
emotional learning gains continues to be a topic of much research. Friesen (2010) stated that
children have shown benefits for physiological, social, physical, and emotional strengths due
to the presence and interaction of an animal. Dogs and their non-judgemental bond with
people have allowed children to be calmer in situations previously stressful to the child.
Research has noted the use of dogs have helped students in elementary schools increase their
self-esteem and overall emotional stability at school, by providing the unconditional love and
unique bond of an animal (Friesen, Exploring animal-assisted prgrams with children in
school and therapeutic contexts, 2010). Comparative studies have identified dogs to bring a
calming element as they have been able to moderate stress, reduce anxiety and lower blood
pressure for children in many situations (Jalongo, Astorino, & Bomboy, 2004).
Another study identifies the human-animal bond that is often shared between a dog
and its owner. This bond allows dog owners to communicate with animals by using different
tones in their voice to receive particular responses. Dogs communicate their emotions in a
very clear manner, which has been noted to increase children’s emotional awareness due to
observing dog’s social interactions (Stetina et al., 2011). The results of this study found

19

children increased their ability to read the emotions of dogs, through facial expressions and
in turn related those emotions of an animal to humans. The shortcomings of this article
include the length of the study, which makes it difficult to see the effect over time, as well,
whether the emotional recognition has to do with the excitement of an animal being present
and working with children (Stetina et al., 2011).
This study presents positive research conclusions on the effectiveness of an animal in an
elementary classroom.
Moving beyond the classroom and into the workplace, therapy animals are being
considered as a support in the work environment as the effects are similar to those of the
classroom setting. With benefits of reduced stress and positive social interacts, the idea of
therapy dogs are becoming more acceptable in the workplace (Foreman, Glenn, Meade, &
Wirth, 2017). There are gaps in the research regarding the long term effects of having an
animal in the work environment, especially considering the animal may not be used to being
around people for long periods of time. Foreman et al., (2017) suggested the importance of
devising a strategic plan to having the dog in the working environment, for there are
challenges to be overcome in regards to the health and well-being of both the animals and the
humans in all environments.
Therapy Animals and Learning
The presence of a dog and the relationship created with the child has shown positive
effects in the areas of education, such as reading, increasing a child’s desire to read. Studies
have identified programs, such as Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.),
demonstrating success in student reading with the assistance of a reading therapy dog
partner. Children who struggled with reading increased their reading fluency after spending

20

only twenty minutes a week reading with a therapy dog (Jalongo et al., 2004). Parents of
children who participated in the R.E.A.D. program stated noticeable increases in enthusiasm
for reading and improved confidence in their children was evident through the use of this
program (Friesen & Delisle, 2012). This program provided a variety of different benefits
beyond reading skills, such as reduction in school absences, increase in confidences and
strong empathic relationships with the dog (Lane & Zavada, 2013).
Not only is the use of a therapy dog assisting in reading fluency, but overall academic
achievement is increasing simply reflecting the presence of a dog through animal assisted
activities which motivates student learning. Comparable studies show an increase in student
motivation and confidence in reading during dog reading programs (Bassette & TaberDoughty, 2013). A continuous theme of increased social interactions and empathy are
recognized across the literature and continue to support animal assisted therapy in learning
due to the positive effects on student self-esteem and gained confidence. Bassette and TaberDoughty (2013) studied the relationships between reading fluency and dog interactions, and
the overall impact animals have on students with emotional behaviour disorders. Increased
reading and on-task behaviour demonstrated effectiveness of therapy dog visitations during
reading. It was evident in this study that students who engage in reading with an animal
showed increased engagement in their given task during the intervention period and students
were able to continue to show interest in reading after the study was completed. Although
this study was completed as a single case study, the findings implied further research is
necessary linking to children with disabilities such as emotional behavioral disorder and
literacy.

21

Animals have demonstrated many positive attributes that are deemed suitable for the
classroom in many different aspects of learning and developing. Meadan and Jegatheesan
(2010) discuss the multiple ways in which animals can contribute as social and emotional
learning strategies in the classroom, including teaching feeling and emotions, problem
solving, enhancing communication and building friendship. These are all skills that help
children develop socially, emotionally and behaviourally. Through these skills, with animals,
children are able to enhance acceptance, and build on inclusivity among a classroom to
include children with special needs to aid in the success for all learners (Meadan &
Jegatheesan, 2010). This article does not address the challenges of having an animal in the
school environment, for example, the situation children with allergies or fear of animals.
Further research on the practical application of this intervention program would be
beneficial.
Animal Assisted Therapy and Special Needs
The literature regarding animal assisted therapy among children with autism and
cerebral palsy and other paediatric disabilities has reported positive displays of human
emotion when visited by an animal. In a survey completed by participants working in a
hospital environment with children with disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, autism spectrum
disorder and acquired brain injuries, participants identified animal assisted therapy to most
definitely assist physical and behaviour management of children with such disabilities. The
survey also identified animal assisted therapy to be beneficial to children with autism to calm
them down and manage their behaviour, as well as provide emotional regulation, but mainly
providing companionship to all three disabilities noted in the study (Yap et al., 2017).
Research suggests children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder would also benefit

22

from animal assisted interventions as it could create an emotional response in children that
will increase motivation for learning (Schuck, Emmerson, Fine, & Lakes, 2015).
Socialization, Anxiety and Animal Assisted Therapy
Similar to the behavioural traits of children with autism, research has stated that
children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder can experience anxiety and trouble with
socialization (Vincent et al., 2014). Social anxiety in children can have an enormous impact
on a child’s social emotional outcome. Children demonstrating social anxieties often have
real and perceived negative social interactions or emotional challenges (Weeks, Coplan, &
Kingsbury, 2009). With research identifying the advantages of animal assisted therapy for
children with disabilities, parallels in treatment can be made for children diagnosed with fetal
alcohol spectrum disorder. Vincent et al., (2014) stated that animals have the ability to
reduce anxiety in patients with epilepsy and may be able to reduce anxieties for individuals
with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Based on the current literature, individuals with fetal
alcohol spectrum disorders would benefit from therapeutic interactions with animals
potentially increasing their socializations and reducing anxieties (Vincent et al., 2014).
Further research is needed to learn more about animal assisted therapy, fetal alcohol
spectrum disorders, and social anxieties among individuals.
Autism and Animal Assisted Therapy
Evidence suggests that there individuals with autism may seek interactions from
animals on their own, and that animal assisted therapy instructors need only to facilitate their
natural gravitation towards the animal to gain the benefits. A previous study on animal
assisted therapy demonstrated increasing social behaviours in children with autism spectrum
disorder with the presence of a guinea pig in the classroom. Children were more engaged in

23

social behaviours with the guinea pigs than they were with regular classroom toys (O'Haire,
McKenzie, McCune, & Slaughter, 2014). This current study builds on the use of a guinea pig
in the classroom and measuring the impact of an animal in the classroom for an 8 week
period of time, involving an animal assisted activities program. Upon completion of the
program half of the guinea pigs were adopted by the teachers and half by the families that
participated in the study and parents identified more social appropriate behaviours and less
social withdrawal behaviours in their children after the program. Further research can be
extended on the connection between children with autism and therapy dogs. In addition,
more research can be completed on emotional development and children with autism using a
therapy dog as a facilitator (O'Haire et. al.,2014). Overall, the research has conveyed a
message that animal assisted therapy could most definitely benefit student success through
emotional, social and behaviour challenges within all aspects of child learning and
developing and there are more areas in which research can build more evidence on the topic
of animal assisted therapy.
Summary
Throughout this literature review I have discussed the successes from the preliminary
research available on animal assisted therapy and its influence on child development. In
relation to our need for increased social emotional development in schools, integration of
animals into schools is proving to highlight important discoveries on the benefits towards our
learners through social, emotional and cognitive development. The studies presented in this
literature review have provided informative studies on animal assisted therapy, leaving room
for more research and discovery on the benefits of therapy animals. The connection of
animal assisted therapy and children with disabilities has narrowed the topic to which I

24

would like to pursue further, research with a focus on the development of empathy,
questioning whether animal assisted therapy can be implemented as a program, addressing
gaps in social emotional learning while maintaining inclusion of individuals in the
classroom. By using therapy dogs in schools, the animal would serve a dual purpose of
working with students who require support, as well as teaching social emotional learning,
focusing on empathy. Can children show empathy to a dog and in turn recognize what
empathy looks like in humans?

25

Chapter Three: Taking Pawsitive Steps Program
Introduction
I believe students can learn a lot through the love of an animal and therefore I have
developed a program, or set of lesson plans, for teachers to use to teach students empathy and
other emotions with the use of an animal. I have named this program Taking Pawsitive Steps
for it is a way to understand our feelings and emotions through the love of an animal in a
positive way. Taking Pawsitive steps is designed to integrate animal assisted therapy into a
school setting. We know that dogs, in particular, are very good at supplying unconditional
love to any human they meet and we can learn a lot from their unconditional support. This
program focuses on teaching students empathy by building on their compassion for animals.
Throughout Taking Pawsitive Steps, students are learning how to show respect and kindness
to the animal in the classroom, learning about feelings, comparing the needs of animals and
humans and learning ways in which animals can teach people. For the safety of all, including
the animal, it is important to teach students, staff and parents about the animal coming into
your school. Be sure to review the suggested steps included to introducing your therapy dog
to its school.
Description of Taking Pawsitive Steps
In this program there are lesson plans for teachers to follow that are simple and easy
to integrate into the classroom with minimal preparations required. Included are lists of
stories that can be read to students using animals as the main characters and activities to be
completed. The theme of all lesson plans will be empathy, but each lesson will connect to
empathy in many different ways; for example, teaching children about emotions will make it
easier to learning how other people feel so it is important to include some lessons on

26

emotions. Along with lesson plans for teachers to use to focus on teaching empathy, I have
included lesson on integrating a therapy animal into the classroom or school (I use a dog for
the examples). I believe it is important to learn rules on how to keep the animal safe, and the
human’s safe by teaching students how to be attentive to how the animal is feelings. For
example, if a dog has its tail between its legs, then it is probably scared and students need to
know how they can help rather than harm the animal.
There are many different skills used to teach empathy to children; I cover six skills of
empathy within this teacher manual. The goals of the student are to be able to recognize the
many emotions in our world by learning to be compassionate and how we can learn from
animals, and also how animals can learn from us.
Objectives of Taking Pawsitive Steps program
The objectives of this program are to teach children to be aware of your own feelings
and how you think someone else is feeling. Students working with this program will be able
to identify the difference between animals and humans, help other people feel better and
students participating in this program within a school will learn how to safely treat animals
working in schools. The first area of focus within this program is to identify what makes you
happy. By starting with a story about a puppy, students can connect how the puppy might be
feeling. For example, if the puppy is playing with its toys and wagging its tail, there is a good
chance the puppy is happy. You would then want to show students what a happy dog looks
like by demonstrating (if you have a therapy dog in the classroom during this lesson), or by
showing pictures of happy dogs. By showing how dogs can be happy, you will then discuss
what makes the students happy. Part of the program is intended to have a therapy animal
assisting these lessons, but also to be there when the students are working to help students

27

who may struggle due to the unconditional love of an animal, and the non-judgement
attitudes an animal shares. There are many different needs within a classroom, such as a
student who may have trouble working independently would benefit from an animal by them
while they complete their work. Throughout this project, the role of the therapy animal
would be there as a teaching tool and strategy for students with a goal of creating a
successful learning environment for all learners.







7DNLQJ3DZVLWLYH6WHSV
/HDUQLQJ(PSDWK\WKURXJKRXUDQLPDOV














Taking Pawsitive Steps
a$ZD\WRXQGHUVWDQGRXUIHHOLQJVDQGHPRWLRQVWKURXJKWKH
ORYHRIDQDQLPDOa
7DNLQJ3DZVLWLYHVWHSVLVDSURJUDPGHVLJQHGWR
LQWHJUDWHDQLPDODVVLVWHGWKHUDS\LQWRDVFKRROVHWWLQJ:HNQRZWKDWGRJVLQ
SDUWLFXODUDUHYHU\JRRGDWVXSSO\LQJXQFRQGLWLRQDOORYHWRDQ\KXPDQWKH\PHHWDQGZHFDQ
OHDUQDORWIURPWKHLUXQFRQGLWLRQDOVXSSRUW
7KLVSURJUDPIRFXVHVRQWHDFKLQJVWXGHQWVHPSDWK\E\EXLOGLQJRQWKHLUFRPSDVVLRQ
IRUDQLPDOV7KURXJKRXW7DNLQJ3DZVLWLYH6WHSVVWXGHQWVDUHOHDUQLQJKRZWRVKRZUHVSHFW
DQGNLQGQHVVWRWKHDQLPDOLQWKHFODVVURRPOHDUQLQJDERXWIHHOLQJVFRPSDULQJWKHQHHGVRI
DQLPDOVDQGKXPDQVDQGOHDUQLQJZD\VLQZKLFKDQLPDOVFDQWHDFKSHRSOH
7DNLQJ3DZVLWLYH6WHSVOHVVRQSODQVZHUHGHVLJQHGIRUWKHXVHRILPSOHPHQWLQJD
&KRFRODWH/DEUDGRU5HWULHYHUWKHUDS\GRJLQDQHOHPHQWDU\VFKRROLQ%ULWLVK&ROXPELD
(YHQWKRXJKWKLVSURJUDPIRFXVHVRQOHVVRQVZLWKDWKHUDS\GRJLWFDQEHPRGLILHGWRZRUN
DURXQGDQ\NLQGRIDQLPDO)RUWKHVDIHW\RIDOOLQFOXGLQJWKHDQLPDOLWLVLPSRUWDQWWRWHDFK
VWXGHQWVVWDIIDQGSDUHQWVDERXWWKHDQLPDOFRPLQJLQWR\RXUVFKRRO%HVXUHWRUHYLHZWKH
VXJJHVWHGVWHSVLQFOXGHGWRLQWURGXFLQJ\RXUWKHUDS\GRJWRLWVVFKRRO



Taking Pawsitive Steps Program: Learning empathy through our
animals
B.C. Curricular
Components
Career Education K-3
Big Ideas: Everything we
learn helps us develop
our skills.
Content: roles and
responsibilities at home.
Physical Education K-3
Big Ideas: Learning
about ourselves and
others helps us develop a
positive attitude and
caring behaviours, which
helps us build healthy
relationships.
Content: caring
behaviours in groups and
families and emotions
and their causes and
effects.
By presenting the big
ideas, teachers can
choose the learning
standards they would like
to address with in the
curricular competencies
and content.

30

Overview of program
6 lesson plans covering skills of empathy, compassion
and how we can learn from animals and how animals can learn
from us.
Each lesson includes extensions and adaptations and
can be used with any animal
Lesson Plans: designed for K-3 students,
approximately 30 min in length for each lesson plan
Lesson plans for introducing your animal to can be
found in this program.
Objectives
To become aware of your own feelings and how you
might think someone else is feeling.
To be able to identify the difference between animals
and humans.
To be able to help others feel better.
To learn how to safely treat animals working in
schools.
Adaptations/Extensions
For those students with allergies, this program can be run using
a toy dog. The purpose of having a dog in the classroom is for
students to make the connection to the animal. If a toy animal
can create the same response for students, then the goal of the
program has been reached.

Materials
Your therapy animal is a key component of this program and is to be used during each
lesson.
Supplemental material for Talking Pawsitive Steps
Taking Pawsitive Steps provides a booklet for students to complete during their time with
their therapy animal. Booklet is to be assembled prior to completion of program.

31

Taking Pawsitive Steps lesson 1: Observing our Therapy Animal
Lesson Overview
Objectives
This lesson is the
introduction lesson to
Talking Pawsitive Steps.
A therapy dog was used
for these activities, but
can be adapted for any
animal. Students will
meet the animal and learn
about the rules to having a
therapy animal in the
classroom and they will
complete activities to get
familiar with the therapy
animal.
Curricular connection
Physical Education K-3
Big Ideas: Learning about
ourselves and others helps
us develop a positive
attitude and caring
behaviours, which helps
us build healthy
relationships.

Begin by having the class sit in a circle on either the
carpet or central gathering area. Introduce the therapy
animal to the class, but asking the students to look with
their eyes and not touching with their hands. There will
be excitement with the new animal, so allow for
students some time to taking it in. Before having the
students touch the animal, explain there are going to be
some rule they must learn first.
Start by reading “Tails Are Not for Pulling” by
Elizabeth Verdick. It is a simple story to let children
know that tails are for wagging, not pulling.
After reading the book discuss with the class some of
the things mentioned in the story.
Ex. Animals let us know when they don’t want to be
touched by growling or making sounds. Tails are for
wagging and not pulling.
Once the book has been discussed take some time to
talk about the therapy animal in the classroom. Talk
about their likes and dislikes and some special qualities
about your animal.

Talk to your students about the purpose of your therapy
dog, which is to teach is about our emotions and
feelings and to support us in the classroom to help us
learn.
Together, as a class, build class rules appropriate for your therapy animal in your
classroom and building such as how many student can pet the animal, who gets to care for
the animal and make sure they have what they need, ways to keep the animal safe and how to
keep the students safe around the animal.
Once the rules have been made around the classroom animal, introduce their animal
to everyone in the classroom.
Following the introduction of the classroom animal, have each student start their
Pawsitive Steps booklet. The first page is to draw a picture and write about their classroom
animal.

Taking Pawsitive Steps lesson 2: What makes you Happy?

Lesson Overview
This lesson will introduce
the therapy dog into the
classroom. “Love me
gently” by Lisa
Wiehebrink (2012) will be
read followed by a
discussion on how to
make an animal happy
and not hurting the
animal.
Objectives
Students will learn to treat
an animal kindly and
identify what things make
your animal happy, what
hurts compared to what
makes you happy and
what hurts.
Curricular connection
Physical Education K-3
Big Ideas: Learning about
ourselves and others helps
us develop a positive
attitude and caring
behaviours, which helps
us build healthy
relationships.

32

Start the lesson by reading “Love me gently” by Lisa
Wiehebrink (2012). This story is about a boy whose
family recently adopted a puppy. This boy must learn
how to take care of the puppy.
Lead into a discussion on what makes your dog happy
by demonstrating to the class. If your dog likes its ears
scratched, show your class.
Write a list of 5 things that make your dog happy
Examples: It makes our dog happy when she
has food, she is happy when she has her toys,
she is happy when she goes for long walks, she
is happy when she goes swimming and she is
happy when she is with her family.
Discuss how students would be able to identify if a dog
is happy?
Ways to idenify if a dog is happy:
Body Language: Wagging of their tail, ears
perky etc… (may be different for each animal)
After sharing what makes animals happy and how
animals show their happiness, discuss how we show we
are happy and what makes us happy.
After discussion, students will complete their first page
of their Pawsitive Steps booklet, “If I were a dog,
_____ would make me happy”. Students will share if
they were a dog, what would make them happy.
Examples: If I were a dog, having a belly
scratch each day would make me happy.

While students are completing their work it is important for your therapy dog to wander
around sitting with students who may need some support. When students are done their
work, they may have time to spend with the therapy dog.

33

Taking Pawsitive Steps lesson 3: Animals have feelings too?

Lesson Overview
This lesson will discuss the
different ways animals
show their feelings. Begin
lesson by reading the story:
Animals have feelings too!
By: Karen Lee Stevens
(2011). This story shares
emotions from A-Z
showing students that
animals and people share
many of the same feelings.
Objectives
Students will learn the
different feelings of an
animal and connect it to
human feelings and
emotions.
Curricular connection
Physical Education K-3
Big Ideas: Learning about
ourselves and others helps
us develop a positive
attitude and caring
behaviours, which helps us
build healthy relationships.

Start the lesson by reading “Animals have feelings
too!” by Karen Lee Stevens (2011). This story is about
a dog who shares many feelings and what each feeling
means.
After reading, brainstorm with the class how your
classroom animal would show how they are feeling
Examples: When you play with a toy, how
would you know if your dog is happy?
How would you know your dog was sad?
Scared?
Introduce the class to pictures of feelings and talk
about what each feeling means.
Have the class play charades with a partner. You will
give the pairs each 2 animal pictures. The student will
look at the picture of an animal and the student must act
it out the feeling in a way that humans would express
the particular feeling. Their partners will make guesses
on what feeling is being portrayed.
After playing charades in pairs, students will discuss
some of the ways humans show emotions by
identifying that animal have ways of showing emotion
through body language, and humans do too. We are
similar to animals and we are different.

Following discussion, students will fill out the
“Animals have feelings too!” page in their Pawsitive
Steps booklets comparing how an animal shows
emotions similar emotions as humans do. Students can
draw a picture of them and an animal showing the same
emotion.
Each grade level has different requirements for their booklets, for example, students who
need extension can add sentences to how they show their feelings. Students who require
adaptations can draw a detailed picture.

34

Taking Pawsitive Steps lesson 4: How do we communicate feelings?

Lesson Overview
Students will discuss
ways they have seen
animals communicate
through discussion,
observations and images.
Following the lesson,
they must complete a
booklet comparing ways
animals and humans
communicate feelings.
Objectives
Students will learn what
communication looks
like in animals and
humans.
Curricular connection
Physical Education K-3
Big Ideas: Learning
about ourselves and
others helps us develop a
positive attitude and
caring behaviours, which
helps us build healthy
relationships.

Start the lesson by reading “Max talks to me” by Claire
Bushwald (2007). Once the story is read, pose the
question “Have you ever talked to an animal before?”
Start a discussion on whether animals talk and if so
how do they communicate. Ask for examples, such as:
dogs bark, cat’s meow, birds chirp etc.
After a discussion on ways animals can communicate,
ask the class if they have seen an animal communicate
their needs by using body language.
*If there is an animal in the classroom, observe how
they communicate.
Ex. Dogs whine when they are sad or bark when
they are afraid.
Show class different pictures of animals and complete
the sentences. “This animal is ______ because”. Have
the students study the picture cards and choose what
emotion would best fit the pictures and why.
After reading, students will complete the How I
Communicate Feelings in their Pawsitive Steps booklet
comparing how humans communicate feelings. We
have looked at different pictures of animals and picked
emotions we find fitting for each picture.
Students must now draw a picture of themselves
showing 3 different emotions.

Upon completion, students must share one of their drawings their classmates.
To extend this lesson to older grades students can write a sentence describing each
picture and they can identify at least three different emotions.

Taking Pawsitive Steps lesson 5: What is Empathy?

Lesson Overview
Lesson will start by reading
“Baa Humbug” by Mike
Jolley (2005). Following the
story, students will learn what
it means to take perspective
of someone else’s thoughts or
feelings. By playing a game
to introduce the students to
perspective taking, they will
identify if the scenario read to
them is a “tail wagging
feeling” or “tail down
feeling.”
Scenario cards are found in
appendix
Objectives
Students will learn to think
about how others might be
feelings by learning what
empathy is. They will listen to
different scenarios and
identify how someone else
might feel or how an animal
might feel. They will relate
those feeling to how they
would feel if they were
treated the same.
Curricular connection
Physical Education K-3
Big Ideas: Learning about
ourselves and others helps us
develop a positive attitude
and caring behaviours, which
helps us build healthy
relationships.

35

Begin by reading “Baa Humbug” by Mike Jolley
(2005). In this story, students will be able to empathize
with the sheep and make connections to their own
world through this story.
This will lead into a discussion on empathy. Describe
empathy as the act of understanding someone else’s
thoughts and feelings. In this lesson students are going
to practice their empathy skills.
Introduced students to the “tail wagging” feeling which
can be related to happy feelings or emotions related to
feeling happy. These are feelings that a dog would
excitedly wag their tail for. Then introduce “tails
down” feelings. These are feelings that make you feel
sad, or blue, or not so great. With your class you could
brainstorm ideas of emotions that would fall under each
category.
Each student will get a feeling card (tail wagging and
tails down). Read a scenario and students must decide if
it is a tail wagging or tails down feeling.
After playing this game, students will have an idea of a
feeling that is related to dog’s tail wagging and tail
down hopefully connecting to how the animal or
someone else might feel in different situations.
Activity: Have students write in their Pawsitive Steps
booklet “My tail wagging feeling would be”. They
must draw a detailed picture and older students could
write a description. Students would then complete the
next part, “My tails down feeling would be”

36

Taking Pawsitive Steps lesson 6: How do animals teach us Empathy?

Lesson Overview
This lesson is designed to review
the program students have
completed with their classroom
therapy animal. It is a chance for
them to reflect on the things they
have learned throughout the
program and how it applies to
our emotions.
Objectives
To recap the last 5 lessons
designed to teach students about
emotions and animals. Students
will learn the golden rule and
they will complete an activity
reflecting on their time spent
with their classroom therapy
animal.
Curricular connection
Physical Education K-3
Big Ideas: Learning about
ourselves and others helps us
develop a positive attitude and
caring behaviours, which helps
us build healthy relationships.

Begin by reading “A Kid’s Best Friend” by Maya
Ajmera (2002)
This story is about the powerful connection between
animals and humans. After reading the story, lead into a
discussion on with the class about your therapy animal.
Ask the students to share one thing they love about
their therapy animal. By sharing with the class, they are
describing a feeling they encountered while having
their therapy animal in their classroom.
Once everyone has shared, have the students practice
the golden rule “Do unto others and you would have
them do unto you”. Read “Do unto Otters” by Laurie
Keller (2009).
Discuss that animals are a great way to learn about
empathy as we must think about their feelings and we
can then relate it themselves.
To complete Pawsitive Steps program have the students
draw a picture and write about their therapy animal and
how they felt during their time with their therapy
animal, how it made them feel and how they think the
animal felt being in the classroom with them.

37

Taking
Pawsitive Steps

By: ______________________

38

My Classroom Animal and Me

In our classroom we have a
therapy animal. Our animal’s
name is ____________________.
Lesson 1-Kindergarten- Grade 1

39

My Classroom Animal Friend and Me

______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Lesson 1- Grade 2-3

40

What Makes Me Happy!

If I were a dog, I would be happy
if _________________________
___________________________
_________________.

Lesson 2- Kindergarten- Grade 1

41

What Makes Me Happy!

If I were a dog, I would be happy if…
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Lesson 2- Grade 2-3

42

Animals have Feelings too!

Draw a picture of you showing a feeling and pick an animal and draw a
picture of how that animal may look with the same feeling.

This is how I
look when I
feel
____________.

This is how a
_________
looks when it
feels
____________.
Lesson 3- Kindergarten- Grade 1

43

Animals have Feelings too!

Draw a picture of you showing a feeling and pick an animal and draw a picture of how that
animal may look with the same feeling. Write how you and your animal of choice look similar or
different.

______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Lesson 3- Grade 2-3

44

How I Communicate Feelings
Draw a picture of 3 different feelings

This is how I
look when I am
____________.
This is how I
look when I am
____________.

This is how I
look when I am
____________.
Lesson 4- Kindergarten- Grade 1

45

How I Communicate Feelings

Draw a picture of 3 different feelings and describe your feelings in each
picture.

______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

Lesson 4- Grade 2-3

46

Tails Wagging and Tails Down Feelings

If you were a dog, what would give you a tail wagging feeling and what would give you a tails
down feeling.

My tail wagging feeling is
when_________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

My tails down feeling is
when_________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

Lesson 5- Kindergarten- Grade 1

47

Tails Wagging and Tails Down Feelings

If you were a dog, what would give you a tail wagging feeling and what would give you a tails
down feeling. Draw a picture and describe each picture.

Tails wagging
feeling

Tails Down feeling

______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Lesson 5- Grade 2-3

48

My favourite part…

Draw a picture of your favourite part of having a therapy animal in your classroom and
how it made you feel

What I loved most about having a therapy animal is

my classroom was__________________

___________________________
___________________________
__________________________.
Lesson 6- Kindergarten- Grade 1

My favourite part…

49

Write about your favourite part of having a therapy animal in your classroom and how it
made you feel

What I loved most about my therapy animal was
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Lesson 6- Grade 2-3

50

Lesson 5: Animal feeling cards
Angry

(30 amazing pictures of animals showing emotions, 2018)
Lonely

(Small animals talk: canine emotions, 2018)
Happy

(Google image, 2018)
Sad

(animal sad image, 2018)





/HVVRQ7DLOZDJJLQJDQG7DLO'RZQIHHOLQJFDUGVDQGVFHQDULRV
6FHQDULRVIRU7DLOZDJJLQJ KDSS\ 
DQGWDLOGRZQIHHOLQJV VDG 
 0\SDUHQWVVDLG,FRXOGJHWDSHW
DQG,ORYHDQLPDOV
 ,DPPRYLQJWRDQHZVFKRRODQG
,GRQ¶WNQRZLI,ZLOOPDNHQHZ
IULHQGV
 0\GDGJLYHVPHDSUHVHQWIRUP\
ELUWKGD\
 2XUFODVVZRQDSL]]DSDUW\


)XQQ\'RJ&XWH'RJ 

 ,GRQ¶WJHWWRVHHP\JUDQGSD
EHFDXVHKHOLYHVIDUDZD\
 0\IULHQGVD\VVKHGRHVQ¶WZDQW
WRSOD\ZLWKPH




'RJOLQHDUW 




52

Summary
Taking Pawsitive Steps lesson plans were created to incorporate a Chocolate
Labrador Retriever therapy dog into an elementary school in British Columbia; however, this
project was designed for any teacher looking to incorporate animals into a school
environment. Even though this program focuses on lessons with a therapy dog, it can be
modified to work around any kind of animal. The goal of this project is to learn through an
animal to show empathy, but also provide a school an opportunity to use an animal to assist
in all different ways specific to individual schools, such as reaching out to student who
would benefit from the support of an animal. This program serves as a dual purpose to teach
students lessons and skills and to use an animal as a strategy for support within an
elementary school setting.

53

References
30 amazing pictures of animals showing emotions. (2018, March). Retrieved from google images:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=animal+emotion+pictures&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ
&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDk5KzlcjaAhUBIGMKHesXDd4QsAQIKw&biw=1051&bih=461
#imgrc=1b542_U-ZOo9sM:&spf=1524203740815
Ajmera, M. (2002). A kid's best friend. Charlesbridge.

Anderson, K. T., & Olson, M. R. (2010). "Dog" gone crazy schools: models for
incorporating dogs into the school setting. Children, Youth and Environments, 318328.
Andrew, C. (2000). Babies in the curriculum: planting roots of empathy . Education Today,
1-5.
Animal emotions. (2018, March). Retrieved from Google image:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=animal+emotion+pictures&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ
&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDk5KzlcjaAhUBIGMKHesXDd4QsAQIKw&biw=1051&bih=461
#imgrc=KYIvWnCWB_dwuM:&spf=1524204647732
animal sad image. (2018, March). Retrieved from Google Images:
https://www.google.ca/search?biw=1051&bih=461&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=4IDZWrO0A42Ijw
PN25XwCw&q=sad+animal+emotion&oq=sad+animal+emotion&gs_l=psyab.3...436932.510012.0.511064.22.17.0.0.0.0.393.3012.0j6j5j2.13.0....0...1c.1.64.psyab..9.12.2696...0j0i67k1j0i8i30k

Ashdown, D. M., & Bernard, M. E. (2012). Can explicit instruction in social and emotional
learning skills benefit the social-emotional learning skills and academic achievement
of young children? Early Childhood Edication Journal, 397-405.
Barrett, P., Fisak, B., & Cooper, M. (2015). The treatment of anxiety of young children:
results of an open trial of the fun FRIENDS program. Behaviour Change, 231-242.
Bassette, L. A., & Taber-Doughty, T. (2013). The effects of a dog reading visitiation
program on academic engagement behavior in three elementary students and
emotional and behavioral disabilities: a single case design. Child Youth Care Forum,
239-256.
Baumgartner, E., & Cho, J.-i. (2014). Animal-assisted acitivities for students with
disabilities: Obtaining stakeholders' approval and planning strategies for teachers.
Childhood Education, 281-290.
Bushwald, C. (2007). Max talks to me. The Gryphon Press .

54

Carlyle, D. A. (2014). With a little help from FUN FRIENDS you children can overcome
anxiety. Community Practitioner, 26-29.
Castro, V. L., Halberstadt, A. G., Lozada, F. T., & Craig, A. B. (2014). Parents' emotionrelated beliefs, behaviours, and skills predict children's recognition of emotion. Infant
and Child Development, 1-22.
Chandler, C. (2001). Animal-Assisted Therapy in Counseling. ERIC digest.
Charlotte's Litter. (2013, May 8). Retrieved from Charlotte's Litter. Good Dogs. Good
Listeners.: http://charlotteslitter.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/09/Educator_Resource.pdf
Denham, S. A., Renwick, S. M., & Holt, R. W. (1991). Working and playing together:
prediction of preschool social-emotional competence from mother-child interaction.
Child Development, 242-249.
Dog line art. (2018, March 20). Retrieved from Google Images:
https://www.google.ca/search?biw=1051&bih=461&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=otvWWtW5BI7ej
wP0gbWICQ&q=dog+with+tail+down+clipart+black+and+white&oq=dog+with+tail+down
+clipart+black+and+white&gs_l=psyab.3...85732.93030.0.93365.40.29.9.0.0.0.360.4257.16j4j7j2.29.0....0.

Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Schellinger, K. B., Dymnicki, A. B., & Taylor, R. D. (2011).
The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of
school-based universal interventions. Children Development, 405-432.
Elias, M. J. (2004). The connection between social-emotional learning and learning
disabilities: implication for intervention. Learning Disabilities Quarterly, 53-63.
Endenburg, N., & van Lith, H. A. (2011). The influence of animals on the development of
children. The Veterinary Journal, 208-214.
Foreman, A., Glenn, M. K., Meade, B. J., & Wirth, O. (2017). Dogs in the workplace: a review of the
benefits and potential challenges. International Journal of Environmental Research and
Public Health, 1-21.

Friesen, L. (2010). Exploring animal-assisted prgrams with children in school and
therapeutic contexts. Early Childhood Education Journal, 261-267.
Friesen, L., & Delisle, E. (2012). Animal-assisted literacy a supportive environment for
constrained and unconstrained learning. Childhood Education , 102-107.
Funny Dog, Cute Dog. (2018, March 22). Retrieved from Google Image:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=dog+with+tail+up+clip+art&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=uni

55
v&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJmoCgjsPaAhVL52MKHf0sBZkQsAQIJg&biw=1051&bih=461#
imgrc=a1hePSmFItk_OM:&spf=1524030030383
Google Image. (2018, March 21). Retrieved from
https://www.google.ca/search?biw=1051&bih=461&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=LgDHWv2SDYjSs
AXugIPgDw&q=happy+dog+and+children+clipart+black+and+white&oq=happy+dog+and+
children+clipart+black+and+white&gs_l=psyab.3...93026.97729.0.98015.24.17.1.0.0.0.432.2654.1j6j0j4j1.1

Gordon, M., & Green, J. (2004). The roots of empathy: Canada's olive branch to the world.
Orbit, 39-40.
Grantham, A. (1999). Journal CAHPERD. Roots of empathy: infants leading the way, 34-35.
Herman, H. (2015, December 14). Parents of 6-year-old girl killed at Sandy Hook start
therapy dog program. Retrieved from Reading Eagle:
http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/parents-of-6-year-old-girl-killed-at-sandyhook-started-therapy-dog-program-in-her-memory
Jalongo, M. R., Astorino, T., & Bomboy, N. (2004). Canine visitors: the influence of therapy
dogs on youn children's learning and well-being in classrooms and hospitals. Early
Childhood Journal, 9-16.
Jolley, M. (2005). Baa Humbug. Templar Publishing.
Keller, L. (2009). Do unto otters. Square Fish.

Lane, H. B., & Zavada, S. D. (2013). When reading gets ruff. The Reading Teacher, 87-95.
Larsen, J. T., To, Y. M., & Fireman, G. (2007). Children's understanding and experience of
mixed emotions. Psychological Science, 186-191.
Meadan, H., & Jegatheesan, B. (2010). Classroom pets and young children: supporting early
development. YC Young Children, 70-77.
Norris, J. A. (2003). Looking at classroom management through a social and emotional
learning lens. Theory into Practice, 313-318.
O'Haire, M. E., McKenzie, S. J., McCune, S., & Slaughter, V. (2014). Effects of classroom
animal-assisted activities on social functioning in children with autism spectrum
disorders. The Journal of Alternative and COmplementary Medicin, 162-168.
Raimundo, R., & Marques-Pinto, A. (2010). The effects of a social-emotional learning
program on elementary school schildren: The role of pupil's characteristics.
Psychology in the Schools, 165-180.

56

Rodgers, A., & Dunsmir, S. (2015). A controlled evaluation of the 'FRIENDS for Life'
emotional resiliency programme on overall anxiety levels, anxiety subtype levels and
school adjustment. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 13-19.
Ryan, C., & Charragain, C. N. (2010). Teaching emotion recognition skills to children with
autism. Journal of Autism and Development Disorder, 1505-1511.
Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Smith, V., Zaidman-Zait, A., & Hertzman, C. (2012). Promoting
children's prosocial behaviors in school: impact of the "roots of empathy" program on
the social and emotional competence of school aged children. School Mental Health,
1-21.
Schuck, S. E., Emmerson, N. A., Fine, A. H., & Lakes, K. D. (2015). Canine-assisted therapy
for children with ADHD: preliminary findings from the positive assertive cooperative
kids study. Journal of Attention Disorders, 125-137.
Small animals talk: canine emotions. (2018, March). Retrieved from google images:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=animal+emotion+pictures&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ
&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDk5KzlcjaAhUBIGMKHesXDd4QsAQIKw&biw=1051&bih=461
#imgrc=c2BNtHrYw4KGjM:&spf=1524203740818

Stallard, P., Simpson, N., Anderson , S., Carter, T., Osborn, C., & Bush, S. (2005). An
evaluation of the FRIENDS programme: a cognitive behaviour therapy intervention
to promote emotional resilience. Arch Dis Child, 1016-1019.
Stetina, B. U., Turner, K., Burger, E., Glenk, L. M., McElheney, J. C., Handlos, U., &
Kothgassner, O. D. (2011). Learning emotion recognition from canines? Two for the
road. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 108-114.
Stevens, K. L. (2011). Animals have feelings too! All For Animals.

Vincent, B., Kropp, C., & Byrne, A. M. (2014). Animal-assisted therapy for fetal alcohol
spectrum disorder. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 3-9.
Weeks, M., Coplan, R. J., & Kingsbury, A. (2009). The correlates and consquences of early
appearing social anxiety in young children. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 965-972.
Weissberg, R. P., & O'Brien, M. U. (2004). What works in school-based social and
emotional learning programs for positive youth development. The Annals of the
Americal Academy of Political and Social Science, 86-97.
Wiehebrink, L. (2012). Love me gently. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform .

57

Yap, E., Scheinberg, A., & Williams, K. (2017). Attitues to and beliefs about animal assisted
therapy for children with disabilities. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice,
47-52.