TeachKind Resources to Enhance Well-Being in Students

If you are a teacher, parent, or caregiver who keeps up with educational trends, you’re likely aware of the mental health crisis affecting many young people today. The pressures of academic performance, social dynamics, and personal challenges have led to rising levels of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues among K-12 students. Addressing this … Read more »

Attention Homeschoolers! Discover TeachKind’s Top Resources for Your Home Classroom

Are you a homeschooler seeking animal-friendly resources for your home classroom? You’ve come to the right place! With TeachKind’s curated list of resources perfect for at-home learning, it has never been easier to “feed two birds with one scone” by teaching foundational lessons that also foster compassion and empathy for animals. TeachKind’s Top Resources for … Read more »

Writing Prompts That Inspire Elementary Students to Write and to Empathize with Animals

We’re all animals, and although you may see some confused stares from your students when you tell them this, they’ll be interested to learn that we have more in common with other animals than they might think. These writing prompts for elementary schoolers have been designed specifically to help you navigate conversations on this topic … Read more »

Crazy Cool Facts About Cicadas to Foster Curiosity and Compassion

You can get your students excited to practice informational writing and foster empathy for other sentient beings at the same time! TeachKind’s cicada factsheet will have young people asking, “Wow, really?” and will inspire kindness toward these enchanting insects. We’ve even included discussion questions to help students develop critical thinking skills and perspective-taking. Cicadas are … Read more »

Project Pigeon Pal! Facts and Activities to Instill Respect and Appreciation for Pigeons

Anyone who’s ever been to a park—or a parking lot—has likely seen pigeons, probably in large numbers. But how much do you know about these feathered friends? Maybe not much, and it’s probably safe to assume the same of your students. Both adults and children are less likely to appreciate animals they don’t understand, which … Read more »

Kindness Bingo: An Empathy-for-All Spinoff of the Classic Game

Games are a great way to engage children and motivate participation, and when they promote empathy and compassion for others, everyone wins! That’s why we created Kindness Bingo. In this spinoff of the classic game, children are prompted to complete acts of kindness for others. Some of them are big tasks, like going “trash fishing” … Read more »

‘BREE Kind to All’—One Rescued Rooster’s Message to the World

TeachKind’s reading activities for the book “Bree and Me” help young learners with reading comprehension and encourage discussion about the importance of being kind.

Kindness Tags to Celebrate and Inspire Your Students’ Compassion!

Kindness recognition tags from TeachKind are a fantastic tool to reinforce your classroom’s culture of compassion by celebrating and inspiring kindness to all.

Learn All About Chickens From TeachKind’s Video With the Author of ‘Bree and Me’ and Bree himself!

Did you know that chickens like to sunbathe? Or that they dream when they sleep? Learn more interesting and surprising facts about chickens from TeachKind’s video featuring author Camille Licate and her rescued rooster companion, Bree! Bree was rescued off the street in New York City when he was just a chick. Camille took him … Read more »

Using Empowering Affirmations to Cultivate Empathy in Your Students

Help students cultivate empathy and kindness toward themselves and others with these fun, empowering affirmation activities from TeachKind!

Cultivate Kids’ Thanksgiving Compassion With TeachKind’s ‘Disguise a Turkey’ Activity!

Suggested grade levels: K–2, homeschool  Objectives: To gain an understanding that turkeys want to live free from harm and suffering by considering why they would want to be disguised for Thanksgiving. Children will practice empathetic thinking as they come up with creative disguises for their turkeys while learning interesting facts about these unique individuals.  As … Read more »

Humane Alternatives to Chick-Hatching Projects in Schools

These popular alternatives for teaching the life cycle of a chicken are humane and educational, and they’re sure to be a hit with your students.

3 Fish-Friendly Activities to Teach Students Empathy

Don’t judge a book by its cover. As one scientist says, “Fish are more intelligent than they appear.”

Animal-Friendly Songs for Your Musical Classroom

TeachKind and PETA Kids teamed up to adapt and create a collection of animal-friendly songs for your musical classroom.

5 Reasons Why Your School Should Steer Clear of ‘Adopt a Cow’ Programs

Don’t be fooled by misleading “adopt a cow” programs.

© Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals
Create a Compassionate Word Wall for Every Grade Level

Make a new word wall using these terms, or integrate compassionate words into an existing word wall to promote empathy for all living, feeling beings.

Teach Students How to Be a Hero for Insects in the Classroom

Model for students what to do when insects or spiders find their way indoors.

This Robotic Elephant Is Helping Students Say NO to Circuses

Thousands of elementary school students across the country have already heard Ellie the mechanical elephant’s empowering message!

This DIY ‘Empathy Ball’ Game Will Be a New Favorite Classroom Icebreaker

Get your students to bond and start thinking about empathy toward animals and each other with this fun activity.

Get Inspired to Save Animals With this Fun Outdoor Activity!

Teach students to act responsibly for the planet and all animals.

‘Junebug: No Life Too Small’ Virtual Read-Aloud

Watch TeachKind’s read-aloud of an excerpt from a compassionate children’s book about respecting and showing kindness to insects.

Teach Students the Importance of ‘Veganizing’ Their Plates

Show students how easy it is to make every aspect of their meals vegan—with TeachKind.

3 Animal-Friendly Ways to Celebrate the ‘Year of the Ox’ With Your Class

The Chinese Lunar New Year brings us the Year of the Ox, so let’s learn more about these gentle and emotionally complex animals.

2020 in Review: How TeachKind Rallied for Students, Educators, and Animals

In spite of 2020’s obstacles, humane educators continued teaching their students the importance of being kind to animals.

How to Help Animals During the Holidays With TeachKind

Teach students to show compassion to animals this holiday season and beyond.

Animal Companions
Lecciones de español y recursos para el aprendizaje de TeachKind

Una colección de recursos de TeachKind en español.

PETA Kids Gives Outdated Nursery Rhymes Animal-Friendly Updates

These new versions of old nursery rhymes ensure relevance for kids today and encourage compassion toward animals, not prejudice or cruelty.

‘Jack and the Bean Stew’: A Tale of Plants, Animals, and Adventure

Have students take a deep dive into the story of “Jack and the Bean Stew” with Lean & Green Kids and TeachKind.

Delle the Dolphin Says: Pronouns Are Important! (Grades K–2)

Delle the dolphin teaches students that animals are someone, not something, and that all living, feeling beings—regardless of species—deserve to be treated with respect and kindness.

Edge Innovations
Sheldon Hears a Squeak: Encouraging Compassion for All (Reader’s Theater)

“Sheldon Hears a Squeak” helps children explore what it means to see things from the point of view of even the smallest animals, and this can lead to more compassion for all living beings.

© iStock.com/Pijus Ash
Engage Students With These Humane Virtual Activities!

Introduce students to these fun exercises to keep them learning and excited about animals.

The Good Kid Project: Stories That Teach Compassion and Equality

Exciting news! TeachKind has partnered with The Good Kid Project to bring educators new humane materials.

It’s Raining Cats and Dogs (Grades K-2)

Teach students how spaying and neutering companion animals can help solve the overpopulation crisis!

Our Favorite TeachKind Lessons for Summer School!

TeachKind invites summer school educators to supplement their curriculum with our humane education activities and lessons.

Backyard Learning: Scavenger Hunt

Students may be staying home, but that doesn’t mean summer learning has to stop.

Let TeachKind Help You—With Our Virtual Lessons and Activities

While you’re teaching virtually, make use of our array of interactive digital resources.

Summertime Kindness to Animals Activity Choice Boards
Attention, Parents! Virtual Learning Resources for Grades K–12

Keep kids learning at home with compassionate lessons.

Help Children Develop Social and Emotional Learning Skills With TeachKind Resources

In this time of self-isolation, students can still hone their social and emotional learning skills with TeachKind resources.

Teaching Virtually? Students Can Still Meet Ellie the Elephant
Celebrate National Library Week at Home With TeachKind!

This National Library Week, take advantage of TeachKind’s many literary resources from the comfort of your own home.

Paint at Home Digitally With TeachKind Coloring Sheets!

Kids can use the Paint feature on a computer with our coloring sheets to create unique, animal-friendly works of art.

PETA Wants You to Invite This Cow and Elephant to Your School

Carly and Ellie are ambassadors for all animals—and they’ll inspire your students to speak up for animals, too!

6 Empathy-Building Ways to Celebrate the ‘Year of the Rat’ in Your Classroom

The Chinese Lunar New Year brought us the Year of the Rat, so let’s learn more about these smart and sensitive animals.

© iStock.com/Svetlana Pazhiltseva
TeachKind Makes It Easy to Teach Empathy in the Classroom

TeachKind offers many free resources to help teachers instill kindness in their students—here’s how your class can take advantage of them.

Animal-Friendly Word Problems

Teach students how to be compassionate toward animals through the language used in mathematical word problems.

‘Meeting the Needs of Companion Animals’ Lesson

Teach students about the responsibility that comes with having an animal companion, touching on both their physical and emotional needs.

Grades PreK-2 Printables

Use these resources to further students’ understanding of various animal rights issues. The application of this age-appropriate material can promote compassion and empathy for all living, feeling beings. Click on the image to download the PDF file. Click on the text below it to access the corresponding lesson. Coloring Sheets and Activities Comprehension Worksheets Graphic … Read more »

Rescue Stories Printables

Use these resources to further students’ understanding of various animal rights issues. The application of this age-appropriate material can promote compassion and empathy for all living, feeling beings. Click on the image to download the PDF file. Click on the text below it to access the corresponding lesson. Grades K-2 Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades … Read more »

TeachKind’s ‘Like You, Only Different’ Alphabet Flashcards

Demonstrate to students that humans are the same as other animals in all the ways that matter most—while also promoting literacy—with these colorful, empathy-building flashcards.

TeachKind Presents ‘Eat Green!’—a Song to Help Kids Learn About Fruits and Vegetables

Have students sing about colorful fruits and vegetables with this song written by Dr. Jean Feldman. There’s also choreography to accompany the lyrics, along with a video of the song in action.

Truly Awesome Turkeys: A Thanksgiving Lesson

Your students will gobble up these awesome facts about turkeys and learn how to help them with this engaging activity!

Photo by Andrea Reiman on Unsplash
TeachKind Rescue Stories: Pickles the Rabbit

Rescue stories reveal the stark reality that many animals face, but their happy endings motivate students to take action, making them ideal for learners of all ages and abilities.

Someone, Not Something: Pronouns Are Important (Grades K–2)

Ellie the elephant teaches students that animals are someone, not something, and that all living, feeling beings—regardless of their species—deserve to be treated with respect and kindness.

Humane Education Lessons for Building Character

With a little creativity, you can teach any positive character trait through humane education.

TeachKind Rescue Stories: Florence the Cat Survives a Flood

Rescue stories reveal the stark reality that many animals face, but their happy endings motivate students to take action, making them ideal for learners of all ages and abilities.

This Groundhog Day, Say No to Cruel Holiday Displays

Groundhog Day is no holiday for the animals forced to “perform” in front of large crowds, exposed to flash photography and loud noise.

TeachKind and Sounds First Present ‘A Dog’s Life,’ Redesigned for Early Readers

Our recent collaboration ensures that early and delayed readers can enjoy our animal-friendly comic, too.

TeachKind Rescue Stories: Herman the Duckling’s First Swim

Rescue stories reveal the stark reality that many animals face, but their happy endings motivate students to take action, making them ideal for learners of all ages and abilities.

What’s a Vegan? Activities to Answer This Question for Students of All Ages

Being vegan is simple, but the ethics behind a lifestyle that doesn’t use animals are complex. Use TeachKind resources to explain them to students in easy-to-understand terms.

13 Easy Ways to Celebrate a Kind Winter Holiday in Your Classroom

Get a head start on the winter holiday by bringing some animal-friendly cheer to your class!

DIY: Make Vegan Ice Cream with Your Students

Set aside some time to make vegan ice cream with your students in the classroom.

TeachKind Rescue Stories: Idabelle’s Great Escape (Grades K-2)

Rescue stories reveal the stark reality that many animals face, but their happy endings motivate students to take action, making them suitable for learners of all ages and abilities.

Animal Companions
13 Kind Classroom Ideas for Halloween That Compassionate Teachers Will Love

From teaching Halloween-themed lessons to dressing in costumes and handing out vegan treats, there are many ways to speak up for animals at school this time of year.

Sea Life, Not Seafood: Lessons on ‘A Fish’s Life’

Help students see what life is like from the perspective of aquatic animals.

Encourage Peace for Animals With TeachKind’s Holiday Ornament Crafts

This holiday season, give animals the ultimate gift by spreading awareness of their rights with these easy and adorable DIY ornaments.

Host a Fun and Scary Animal-Friendly ‘Book-O-Ween’ in Your Classroom

Books and Halloween can be a match made in humane-education heaven. Who knew?

Inspiring Rescue Videos to Teach Compassion for Fish

Rescue videos aren’t just fun to watch—use them to motivate students to learn about and be kind to animals.

© iStock.com/oksanavq
Fish Are Friends: Order ‘A Fish’s Life’ Comic Books for Your K–5 Classroom

Fish are smart and clever social animals with unique personalities—and just like dogs, cats, and humans, fish can be hurt and have the capacity to suffer. According to scientists who study pain, their pain response is virtually identical to that of mammals and birds. Because of this, fish deserve our consideration and kindness. When these … Read more »

Alicia Silverstone Voices Carly the Cow, Who Asks Kids to Ditch Dairy

How do you teach kids about the dark side of dairy? Directly from the cow’s mouth! Voiced by Alicia Silverstone, Carly the cow is helping students go dairy-free.

Food
5 Compassionate Ways to Celebrate the ‘Year of the Pig’ in Your Classroom

The Chinese lunar new year brought us the Year of the Pig, so let’s learn more about these animals.

©iStock.com/Byrdyak
Spotlight These Amazing Animals With TeachKind’s Halloween Activity Sheets

Halloween can be a scary time for animals, especially those who’ve been wrongfully deemed “spooky” or “evil.”

Celebrate Nonviolence Toward All Living Beings in Honor of Gandhi’s Birthday

In remembrance of Mahatma Gandhi and his advocacy in behalf of society’s most vulnerable members, teach students about the philosophy of nonviolence and show them how they can practice it in their daily lives.

Fishing: Activities to Teach About the Human Impact on the Environment

Can you imagine oceans with no fish in them? According to some researchers, that might be the situation by 2048 if humans keep eating as many fish as they do now.

‘How to Heal a Broken Wing’ and Other Lessons in Empathy

Did you know that pigeons have excellent memories, are devoted to their family, and can recognize their own reflection? These interesting birds are worth learning about and deserve our respect.

Set Kind Classroom Goals With TeachKind’s New Year Activities

What better time is there than the new year to recommit to the kind standards that you set for your class at the beginning of the school year?

Top 6 Lesson Plans for National Bullying Prevention Month

As mental-health and law-enforcement experts well know, people who demonstrate a blatant lack of empathy by committing violent acts toward animals often go on to harm humans as well.

Download a Class Set of Kindness Pledges

Start the year off right! Foster a compassionate classroom environment by using our printable kindness pledges for grades K–5.

Animal Companions
Language Learning Through Humane Education (ESL)

A child’s affinity for animals transcends language

©iStock.com/VictoriaShuba
‘Hey, Little Ant’: Little Guy Makes a Big Case (Grades K–5)

All creatures deserve respect. Use this book to help your students see things from an ant’s point of view.

Esther’s Story: Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

Esther the Wonder Pig is a social media sensation, and people of all ages love her story. Use it to help children learn that ALL pigs are wonderful.

Grammar Packet: Compassionate Nouns and Verbs Worksheets

Compassion for animals can be woven into every part of the instructional day—even practicing nouns and verbs!

© iStock.com/tunart
Helping a Local School Integrate Compassion for Animals (Worksheets Included)

TeachKind worked with a Virginia school to create humane materials for its curriculum. Integrating compassion for animals is easy!

© iStock.com/kali9
5 Awesome Art Projects to Help Animals!

Inspire students to get creative and take action for animals with these five art project ideas.

National Poetry Month Activities: A Literary Celebration for Animals

Poetry can inspire deep emotional responses in students. Teach them to use this genre to express their compassion and to discover and develop their voice for animals.

Plant Seeds of Kindness in Your Students This Spring

Check out these fresh and fun activities to celebrate the season.

© iStock.com/Anastasiia_Guseva
5 Ways to Have a ‘Hoppy,’ Humane Classroom This Spring

This spring, ditch egg-dyeing and chick-hatching projects and teach kids to respect ALL the animals in our world instead. Your students are going to love these activities!

Activities: Women in Leadership and Animal Rights

Meet the woman behind PETA, Ingrid Newkirk, and explore the intersection between women’s rights and animal rights with our free lessons.

Black History Month Activities: Celebrate Civil Rights Leaders Who’ve Stood Up for Humans AND Other Animals

Many civil rights proponents have extended their compassion to animals. Teach your students about the connection they made between struggles.

Animal Companions
What Winter Is Like When You’re a Chained Dog

Teach students how hard life can be for chained dogs—and show them how they can make a difference for dogs everywhere.

Nouns: Animals Don’t Belong in the ‘Thing’ Category

Are you still teaching your students that a noun is a person, place, or thing? It’s time to add a new category—for animals.

Activity: Santa’s First Vegan Christmas

Santa learns a very important lesson in compassion for all beings in this engaging holiday activity.

Make Math Fun (and Tasty!) With Vegan Food Manipulatives

Your students can snack their way through learning math the animal-friendly way.

Community Helpers Can Be Heroes for Animals, Too! (Grades Pre-K–1)

If you’re creating a community helpers unit, don’t forget to include those who help animals!

¡No son solo parte del rebaño!

Exhorta a los estudiantes a pensar en las ovejas como individuos, no como mercancías utilizadas únicamente para hacer suéteres y abrigos.

The Emotional Life of Hobbes: a Rough Journey With a Happy Ending

Animals have rich emotional lives. Teach your students how to recognize the emotional needs of other living beings as well as their own.

FREE Webinar: Key Element of a Humane Lesson—Help Animals

Create lessons that merge academic skills with compassion—a win-win situation for all.

Mother’s Day Activities: Let’s Celebrate Animal Moms, Too

There’s nothing quite like a mother’s love. Teach your students how animals cherish their babies.

Not Just Part of the Flock! (Grades K-2, English and Spanish)

Wearing wool means hurting sheep! Encourage students to think about sheep as individuals, not as mere commodities to be used for wool sweaters and coats.

Humane Science Lessons for Teachers

Meeting curricular goals without harming animals is a win-win situation for students, teachers and schools. Long gone are the days of dissecting formaldehyde-laden animals and stuffing live fish into 2-liter bottles. Because our knowledge of animal sentience has evolved, science educators are increasingly rejecting those lessons in cruelty. Rather than defaulting to archaic animal experiments … Read more »

100th Day of School Activities That Can Help Animals Everywhere

100 days of school = 100 chances to bring humane education to your classroom. 🙂

Teach Compassion With TeachKind’s ‘Share the World’

Share the World is perfect for teaching elementary school students the Golden Rule and the importance of compassion and empathy. Order a kit for free!

Animal Companions
Curso de “Comparte el mundo” en español

Mira en español el nuevo video y los recursos para la clase de TeachKind, para enseñarles a tus estudiantes de primaria la compasión hacia todos.

How Littering Hurts Animals

No lesson on the proper disposal of waste and recycling would be complete without examining how our trash can hurt animals—and how to prevent harming them.

Create Your Own Animal Masks

Let your students show off their creative skills while learning about the animal kingdom with these fun art projects.

Thanksgiving Class Project: Give Turkeys a Hand!

Thanksgiving is no fun for turkeys, but you can help your students speak up in their behalf this year with this cute and simple craft project!

‘We’re All Animals’ Coloring Sheets

Teach your students about the animal kingdom using our printable coloring sheets.

How Your School Can Help Chained Dogs

TeachKind’s “Change for Chained Dogs” pack makes fundraising for animals easy!

FREE TeachKind Materials

TeachKind will send you FREE comic books, activity books, and more.

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