Topic 2: The Rights of Non-Human Animals

7th-Grade TEKS 8th-Grade TEKS

E(i) ​Students will understand the relationship between
living organisms and their environment. Different
environments support different living organisms that are
adapted to that region of Earth. Organisms are living
systems that maintain a steady state with that
environment and whose balance may be disrupted by
internal and external stimuli. External stimuli include
human activity or the environment. Successful organisms
can re-establish a balance through different processes
such as a feedback mechanism. Ecological succession
can be seen on a broad or small scale.
3(A) ​ in all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and
critique scientific explanations by using empirical
evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and
observational testing, including examining all sides of
scientific evidence of those scientific explanations, so as
to encourage critical thinking by the student
3(D) ​ relate the impact of research on scientific thought
and society, including the history of science and
contributions of scientists as related to the content.
10(B) ​ describe how biodiversity contributes to the
sustainability of an ecosystem
11(B) ​explain variation within a population or species by
comparing external features, behaviors, or physiology of
organisms that enhance their survival such as migration,
hibernation, or storage of food in a bulb
13(A) ​investigate how organisms respond to external
stimuli found in the environment such as phototropism
and fight or flight
(E) ​ Organisms and environments. In studies of living
systems, students explore the interdependence between
these systems. Interactions between organisms in
ecosystems, including producer/consumer,
predator/prey, and parasite/host relationships, are
investigated in aquatic and terrestrial systems. Students
describe how biotic and abiotic factors affect the number
of organisms and populations present in an ecosystem.
In addition, students explore how organisms and their
populations respond to short- and long-term
environmental changes, including those caused by
human activities.
3(A) ​in all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and
critique scientific explanations by using empirical
evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and
observational testing, including examining all sides of
scientific evidence of those scientific explanations, so as
to encourage critical thinking by the student
3(D)​ relate the impact of research on scientific thought
and society, including the history of science and
contributions of scientists as related to the content
(11) ​ Organisms and environments. The student knows
that interdependence occurs among living systems and
the environment and that human activities can affect
these systems. The student is expected to:
(A) ​ describe producer/consumer, predator/prey, and
parasite/host relationships as they occur in food webs
within marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems;
(B) ​ investigate how organisms and populations in an
ecosystem depend on and may compete for biotic and
abiotic factors such as quantity of light, water, range of
temperatures, or soil composition;
(C) ​ explore how short- and long-term environmental
changes affect organisms and traits in subsequent
populations; and
(D) ​ recognize human dependence on ocean systems
and explain how human activities such as runoff, artificial
reefs, or use of resources have modified these systems.

Discuss

Before beginning the formal Socratic Seminar process, activate the students’ thinking by having them briefly discuss
or write about the following quote:
“The more we learn of the true nature of non-human animals, especially those with ​complex​ ​brains​ and
corresponding complex social behavior, the more ​ethical​ ​concerns​ are raised regarding their use in the
service of man — whether this be in entertainment, as ‘pets’, for food, in research laboratories, or any of the
other uses to which we subject them.” - Jane Goodall

Developed by Clint Rodriguez / ​@CTRodGT​ ​/ ​clintontrodriguez@gmail.com

FREE FOR EDUCATORS
 Read Watch

As a class, read/explore the following resources: As a class, watch the following clips:
Read: Watch:
● https://psmag.com/social-justice/electric-schlock- ● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PLvdmifDS
65377 k
● https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/anniversary-h ● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=486MZC859
iroshima-nagasaki-atomic-bomb-world-war-ii/ 6g
● Students should take notes on the content of the videos
Students should mark the text for main ideas and create and decide whether they generally agree or disagree
higher-order essential questions of their own for later with the messages.
discussion.

Research

Give students the opportunity to individually think about and research potential answers to the following questions
(encourage them to think about the various sides of each question:

1. How do scientists measure animal intelligence? Does animal intelligence matter ethically? (mirror test, tool
use, ​religion-resembling activity​, etc.)
2. What rights,if any, should animals have? Why? Why Not? (right to live in natural habitat, etc.)
3. Should different animals get different rights? Why? Why not? (gorillas vs. ants, etc.)
4. When, if ever, should animal cruelty concern humans? (dogfighting, etc.)
5. What steps, if any, should be taken to reduce cruelty to animals? Do we need to concern ourselves with
ending animal cruelty exclusively? Or should we also think about how to promote animal “happiness”?
(regulations, boycotts, etc.)
6. Are some types of cruelty worse than others? (medical research vs. the circus, etc.)
7. Are there any times when animals should have more rights than people? Are there times when animal life
matters more than human life? Why? Why not? (lumberjacks vs. endangered owls, etc.)
8. When, if ever, is it permissible for humans to utilize animals for research? Education? Entertainment? Food?
9. When, if ever, is it ethical to keep an intelligent, wild animal captive?
10. When, if ever, is it ethical to kill an animal (assuming said animal is not directly threatening your life/you are
starving and it’s you or the rabbit?)
Extension:​ If animals are entitled to rights, should robots be also?
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/11/28/if-animals-have-rights-should-robots

Debate

As a whole group, allow students to argue respectfully about the questions above using the discussion format of your
choice. Students should be reminded to refer to their notes and the articles as well as any outside research they
completed.

Reflect

At the close of the discussion, ask students to revisit their previous thinking/writing. Ask them to respond to the
following prompt as an exit ticket:​ “This discussion did/did not change my opinion about the rights of
non-human animals because…”

Developed by Clint Rodriguez / ​@CTRodGT​ ​/ ​clintontrodriguez@gmail.com

FREE FOR EDUCATORS