People and Animals (Ages; 3-5) (EYFS)

Key idea

To what extent are people and animals similar? Should they be treated the same? Should different animals be treated differently?

Resources

Pictures/puppets of animals and people

Starter

Go through the resources asking children to say what each of them do and whether they go in the ‘people’ or ‘animals’ group. This is a warmer to get them thinking about people/animals and engaged in distinguishing between the two.

Main activity

Choose a child and tell them that they are going to ‘have a talk’ and they can choose to talk to a person or an animal.

Ask the class:

• Will they talk with an animal or a person?
• Should they talk to animals?
• Can animals talk?

Now, after the child has listened to the others, get them to come and make a decision. Will they talk to an person or an animal?

Repeat the above with other scenarios

You are going to go for a walk.

• With an animal or a person?
• Should you put a lead on them?
• A person took your left shoe and an animal took your right shoe?
• Should you tell the person off? Should you tell the animal off?
• Are you going to make friends with an animal or a person?
• Are animals better friends?
• You have brought a present from the shop. Will you give it to an animal or a person? Should animals get presents?

Further questions

• Are animals like people?
• If animals could understand and talk, should we send them to school?
• If animals do bad things, should we put them in prison?

Some more provocative ones that I am not sure if I would do:

• You are hungry should you eat a person?
• A dog?
• A chicken?
• A mouse?
• Should animals eat people?

Download People and Animals (Ages; 3-5) (EYFS)