Teacher's Guide for ODYSSEY ^TM Dogs Rule!

Format:
Article, Page
Summary
Skills

"The Dog Code," pg. 6
All modern dogs descended from a small group of East Asian wolves. Mapping their genetic code could lead to cures for diseases that affect both dogs and humans. Two sidebars (pgs. 8 and 9) explore the variety of dog breeds and the emotional bonds that form between humans and dogs.
Vocabulary, Inductive Reasoning

"Dogs Mirror People," pg. 10
Cancer is the number one killer in dogs, and certain breeds are predisposed to a specific type. Research on dog DNA may point the way to cures for human cancers.
Inductive Reasoning, Process Analysis

"The First 'True' Dogs," pg. 11
The domestication of dogs began during the Paleolithic age, but controlled breeding is only 2,000 years old.
Cause and Effect, Comparison and Contrast

"Call It Puppy Love," pg. 14
Dog companions improve survival for heart attack victims, reduce stress, alleviate loneliness and depression, and increase levels of the "feel-good" hormone serotonin. Have you hugged your dog lately?
Cause and Effect, Inductive Reasoning

"Rico, a Dog of Many Words," pg. 17
Rico, a 9-year-old border collie, can recognize the names of about 200 different objects and retrieve them on command. He appears to learn language in much the same way as a small child does.
Testing Hypotheses, Drawing Conclusions

"Lights, Camera, Barking! The World of Dog Actors," pg. 20
Dog actors and their handlers train hard for TV or movie productions. A companion piece (pg. 23) describes other canine careers.
Process Analysis, Application

"Robo-Dog," pg. 24
Robot dogs aren't toys. These high-tech critters can sniff for weapons, test radiation levels, and rescue people from life-threatening situations.
Application, Web Research

"Don't Mind My Dog . . . She's Got a Strange Personality," pg. 27
Sam Gosling of the University of Texas at Austin studies dog personality and finds some distinctly human traits. A sidebar (pg. 31) highlights some factors to consider when looking for a canine companion.
Observation, Comparison and Contrast

"Pooch Match" (Activity to Discover), pg. 28
Make the best match between owners and dog breeds.
Inductive Reasoning, Critical Thinking

"Click 'n' Treat" (Activity to Discover), pg. 32
The click and treat method trains police, service, and show dogs. Sidebars (pgs. 33 and 34) offer training tips and recommend Web sites for more information. Activities (pg. 35) provide practice with the method.
Following Directions, Web Research

"Tuning In to Dogs" (People to Discover), pg. 36
Scientist and author Rupert Sheldrake investigates telepathy in animals. A companion piece (pg. 40) invites ODYSSEY^TM readers to do some research of their own.
Experimental Design, Following Directions

"Animal Farm" (Brain Strain), pg. 41
Use math and logic to find the dog hutches hidden on this rabbit farm.
Following Directions, Deductive Reasoning

"Observing the Ringed Planet" (What's Up and You Can Do Astronomy), pg. 42
This is a great month to observe Saturn all night long. Look for Mars, Mercury, and Venus in the morning and Jupiter in the evening.
Observation, Following Directions

"Fantastic Journeys," pg. 47
Kelsey Kinzer and her family raise puppies that will become guide dogs for the blind.
Process Analysis, Making Inferences

1. What draws us to a pet, whether cat, dog, lizard, or goldfish? How are "dog people" and "cat people" different? What do you look for in a pet?
2. People feed, exercise, shelter, and love their dogs. What do dogs give in return? Make a list of all the "services" you can think of.

Pg. 11 - "The First 'True' Dogs"

• Talk It Over:
  1. What does the author mean when she writes that dogs domesticated themselves? How did the coexistence of ancient people and wolves develop into the caring relationship between humans and dogs that we enjoy today?
  2. Do you see any wolflike behaviors in the domestic dogs of today? Identify examples and discuss their origins.
• Connections:
  1. Graphic Imaging: Review the traits of Paleolithic wolves and modern dogs and create a Venn diagram to show similarities and differences. For each common trait in the center of your diagram, draw a line to a corresponding difference. For example, both bark to warn, but wolves warn against dangerous predators and dogs warn against friendly visitors.
  2. Creative Writing: Write a "Thank You" poem as a tribute to the wolves of the Paleolithic era. Try to employ a figurative image such as a metaphor or a simile in your poem.
  3. History: Do a Web or library search on dogs in the Middle Ages. Read about the topic; then describe in your own words the relationship between people and dogs in that time.
• Student Assessment:
  1. In a well-organized paragraph, describe how dogs became domesticated.
  2. You are an after-dinner speaker before a club of dog lovers. Most of the people in your audience believe that humans domesticated dogs. Persuade them that dogs actually domesticated themselves.

Pg. 24 - "Robo-Dog"

• Talk It Over:
  1. Why do scientists and inventors model their robots after dogs?
  2. How are robo-dogs and real dogs alike? How are they different? Why?
• Connections:
  1. History: Pick an important event in history and conduct some research about what occurred. Then imagine what might have happened if a robo-dog had participated. Create a poster or draw a cartoon to show how a robo-dog might have changed history.
  2. Art/Design: Draw a diagram of one of the robo-dogs described in the article, labeling the parts and describing how it operates. Then go to one of the Web sites listed and see how your idea compares.
  3. Creative Writing: Write a short story titled "The Day a Robo-Dog Saved _____."
• Student Assessment:
  1. Write a grant application asking for funds to support robo-dog research. Assume that the granting agency knows little about robo-dogs, so you'll need to summarize what's been achieved so far to get the attention of reviewers.
  2. Design a brochure to sell a specific robo-dog to a specific market. Include pictures and a good sales pitch in your brochure, making sure that you point out how the robo-dog will meet the needs of the consumer group you have identified.

"A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down." (Robert Benchley)

Large-Group Collaborative Activity: Break the class into five groups and assign each group a topic, such as dog breeds, dogs in U.S. history, dogs in world history, dog heroes, or dogs with jobs. Challenge each group to research the assigned topic and prepare an audiovisual presentation for the class.

"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of." (Ogden Nash)

Community Connection: Invite a representative from the local police department to speak to your class about the use of dogs in law enforcement. Or contact a hospital or assisted living center to learn more about therapy dogs.

"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." (Mark Twain)

Class-Group Project: Organize two bulletin boards to display pictures of students with their pets. On one board, post tributes that students write to their pets. On the other, ask students to post messages written from the pet's point of view.

"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really." (Agnes Sligh Turnbull)

Small-Group Collaborative Project: Ask students to work in teams of three or four to select, read, and review a book on animal intelligence. (Suggested titles: Inside the Animal Mind, If a Lion Could Talk, Wild Minds, The Octopus and the Orangutan, The Parrot's Lament, When Elephants Weep.) Assign a deadline for presenting book reports to the class.

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Updated: 8/30/08 12:49 am
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