Objective

By the end of this lesson, the student will have a basic understanding of the concept of herding and how certain traits in animals can make them well-suited for specific tasks.

Materials and Prep

• No additional materials are needed for this lesson.
• Prior knowledge of the book "Runt" by Craig Silvey is helpful but not required.

Activities

• Activity 1: Acting Out Herding
  Have the student pretend to be a sheepdog and try to herd a group of stuffed animals or family members. Encourage them to use their body language and voice to direct the "sheep" towards a specific location.
• Activity 2: Analyzing Animal Traits
  Ask the student to choose three different animals and identify what traits make them well-suited for specific tasks. For example, a cheetah is fast and agile, perfect for hunting, while a beaver has sharp teeth and strong jaws, ideal for building dams.
• Activity 3: Design a Super Herding Dog
  Have the student draw and label a fictional dog breed that would be the ultimate herding dog. Encourage them to think about what physical and behavioral traits this dog would possess to excel at herding.

Talking Points

• Animals, like Runt, can have specific traits that make them well-suited for certain tasks.
• Runt's speed and agility make him a great herding dog.
• Herding is the act of directing and moving a group of animals in a specific direction.
• Sheepdogs use their body language and voice to communicate with the sheep and guide them.
• Other animals have different traits that make them well-suited for different tasks.
• For example, cheetahs are incredibly fast and agile, which helps them catch their prey.
• Beavers have sharp teeth and strong jaws, which help them build dams.
• Think about what traits would make the ultimate herding dog. Would it be big or small? Fast or strong?
• Remember, traits can be physical (like speed or strength) or behavioral (like intelligence or obedience).