Subject: Language Arts
Title: Working Dogs
Grade: Cycle 2, level 2
Time: 1 hour

Objectives:
- Students will develop an understanding of the different types of working dogs and their duties
- Students will be able to express themselves in writing, taking on an alternative perspective-Students will be aware of the different needs of individuals who require the assistance of dogs
 =Students will write using proper spelling and grammar conventions
-Students will express creativity in their writing

Professional Competencies
Cross-curricular:
1. To use information
4. To use creativity
5. To adopt effective worth methods
9. To communicate appropriately
English Language Arts
2. To write self-expressive, narrative and information based texts
4. To use language to communicate and learn

Essential Knowledge:
- Writing for specific purposes and in different contexts
- Developing of understanding of writing conventions
- Examining for alternative points of view 

Materials:
- Pencils, erasers, markers
- Pictures of different types of working dogs
- Information about working dogs
Step by step procedure:
- Lesson will begin with a short brainstorm about working dogs. I will write working dogs on the smart board and ask students if they know anything about the different types of these dogs. This brainstorm will be kept short, about 5 minutes
- We will then begin to talk about several different types of the working dogs, discussing several facts about each one. I will allow students to contribute and share any ideas that they have on top of the information that I give them
- The first will be the service dog. These dogs are trained specifically to help people with disabilities other than those that are hearing and visually impaired). Example: may be used to help someone in a wheelchair. These dogs are placed into foster homes, like other working dogs until the time they are old enough to being their advanced training. In foster homes the dogs become socialized and become accustomed to a variety of environments. Service dogs wear colored vests when they are working so that they can be identified from other dogs. Some tasks these dogs can help with include: opening doors, aiding in dressing, getting the phone, carrying items, picking up items, providing balance and pulling wheelchairs
- I will allow for students to contribute information, and as I go I will allow them to contribute ideas.
- The next dog we will talk about will be guide dogs. These dogs are trained to lead people who are blind or visually. They guide people who have difficulty seeing to maneuver through their daily lives. These dogs also follow a similar foster care family system to that of service dogs.
- I will show students pictures of the difference between a service dog and a guide dog
-  I will ask students if they know any other types of working dogs ex. Search and rescue, police dogs and fire dogs
- Once the class has a good understanding of the roles of the various working dogs as well as the different people that they can provide assistance to I will show students a video of a service dog at work on the Mira foundation’s website. This will provide students will a visual of exactly what a service dog can do
Extended Activity:
- The activity that will go with this lesson on working dogs will be a unique writing activity. Students will be required to take on a point of view other than their own, which they rarely get to do. They will have the option of 3 characters to take on the point of view of:
- A dog who is used to help a person with a disability (service or guide dog)
- An individual who has a working dog (talk about the different things the dog helps with)
- A child who has been part of the foster home of a puppy who they must return to become a working dog
- The students will complete this written activity in their notebooks. The work will be corrected, and then they will recopy it for a final copy

Adaptations:
- For some of the students in the class writing is a very difficult and frustrating task. Modifications are often made for these students to ensure the greatest success in the classroom. These students will be doing a different activity. They will be given a worksheet in which they have to fill in information. They will be creating the profile of a dog who works for an individual. The students will select all the characteristics of the dog and then complete a drawing of their dog.

Evaluation:
- Students will be evaluated on their participation in class discussion. A checklist with students names will be used and a check will be given every time a student contributes to the discussion
- Students will be evaluated on the written component of this lesson. Their use of creativity, proper spelling and grammer and completion will be noted. As well their reference to the newly learnt material should be included
- Students will also be evaluated on their meeting of the required objectives, as well the QEP competencies