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Shared Traits

Introduce the next video section by telling students that they will actually see some battery units. Encourage them to continue to look for similarities between humans and other animals.

Video: Part II
Show the next four minutes of “Let’s Ask the Animals.” Stop the video at the screen that reads, “Other Things We Have in Common.”

Reactions to the Video
Ask the students what they thought of this section, and answer any questions that they may have. Then ask what they thought of the battery cage units shown in the video. What would living in the cages be like?

The video mentions that some people do not eat animals. Ask students if they know what those people are called. You may get the responses “vegan” and “vegetarian.” Define the two terms so that they know the difference. A vegetarian eats no animals. A vegan does not eat animals or animal products, such as eggs, milk, and cheese. Vegans eat a variety of foods, such as fruits, vegetables, pastas, breads, nuts, beans, fake “meat,” and soy milk. Many people become vegan or vegetarian because they care about animals, their health, or the environment.

Shared Traits Discussion: Part III
Return to the discussion about shared traits. Ask what new shared traits were mentioned in the last video section. Put a checkmark next to those that are already listed on the board, and add those that are not. The last segment of the video mentioned the following traits:

Encourage students to continue to look for shared traits in the next section of the video.

Video: Part III
Show the next four minutes of “Let’s Ask the Animals.” Stop the video at the screen that reads, “How the Animals Answer.”

Reactions to the Video
Ask what students thought of the segment. Do they have questions about why one chick grew quickly and the other did not? Explain that birds are chosen for certain characteristics in order to make those characteristics more pronounced in their chicks. In the wild, chickens pass the healthiest genes from one generation to the next, but people who raise chickens for meat select chickens who will grow quickly. As seen in the video, this results in severe problems in many animals.

Shared Traits Discussion: Part IV
Once again, ask students to list the new shared traits mentioned in the last video section. Check those that are listed on the board, and add those that are not. The last segment of the video mentioned the following traits:

Remind them again to pay attention to the traits that we share with animals in the next section.

Video: Part IV
Show the last five minutes of “Let’s Ask the Animals.”

Reactions to the Video
Solicit reactions to the video from students. What did they think of the hen who navigated the maze and the study with the pigs? Do they have any questions?

Shared Traits Discussion: Part V
As before, ask students to list the shared traits in the last section of the video, checking off those that are on the board and adding those that are not. The last segment of the video mentioned the following trait:

• The need to stay occupied with play and activity

Ask students why they feel that it is important to understand the traits that humans share with animals like chickens, pigs, cows and sheep. Ask if knowing that other animals have families, relationships, emotions, and feelings better enables us to provide them with proper treatment. Let them know that treating animals humanely is important for animals and for us because it helps us build compassion, empathy, and respect, which are important skills that help us get along better with one another.