23rd September 2008

Virtual Pets Go To School

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As the new school term gets under way, leading veterinary charity PDSA is set to liven up the UK's classrooms by sending its 'virtual vets' into lessons to help school children learn about caring for their pets properly.

Teachers can get PDSA vets to 'visit' through the Schools PDSA website www.schoolspdsa.org.uk by using special video clips, called PetCasts.

The free website gives teachers instant access to veterinary information and provides lesson ideas covering pet health, science, media, citizenship and history. It also includes interactive games, curriculum-linked lesson plans, power point presentations, assessment sheets and a library of PetCasts.

Children in primary and secondary schools can watch the PetCasts then use the information to work through the interactive website, learning more as they complete various tasks.

Young PDSA Executive, Vicki Craighill, says, "Schools PDSA is proving a real success and becoming a firm favourite with both teachers and pupils. Children love seeing and hearing exactly what a vet does and the website provides fun, hands-on learning to help them understand how to look after pets."

Primary school teachers can select three different resources; Pet Scientists, Pet Health and Pet Teams. Pet Scientists meets elements of the Life and Living Processes curricula for England, Wales and Scotland by asking children to compare and contrast the physical similarities between humans and animals. Pet Health examines diet and exercise and explores what pets need to stay fit and well, while Pet Teams explores the roles involved in pet health care, from veterinary treatment given by vets and nurses to companionship and caring for pets by children themselves.

The secondary school section explores science, history, media and citizenship for 12-14 year old students, delving into the working world by looking at scientific processes. Students are asked to relate their own science lessons and skills learned compared to those needed to become a vet. Older students are challenged to create a TV advert, research PDSA's founder Maria Dickin, CBE, and debate the use of animals in war through an introduction to the PDSA Dickin Medal, the animals' Victoria Cross.

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