FREE downloads for Primary School Lessons

We've collaborated with teachers to create free downloadable lessons for Primary School pupils. These lessons cover Citizenship, Maths, English, Science, Art, History and we even have a Pet Day where the whole school can get involved.

Take a look, download for them for free and use them when you want:

Citizenship

Lesson plans and resources for QCA unit 3 Animals and Us. Lessons can be used for Key Stages 1 and 2, teaching pupils about responsible pet care and the needs of animals.

  1. The needs of animals
    What are the needs of animals? How should they be treated? Who is responsible for caring for animals?

    Download the 'Needs of animals' lesson pack.

  2. How do we look after animals?
    Pupils will learn who has a responsibility towards animals and how pets and other animals should be treated. How do I choose the right pet? How do I prepare for a pet? How do I look after a pet?

    Download the 'How do we look after animals?' lesson pack.

  3. Who else looks after animals?
    Pupils learn about how humans have a responsibility towards animals and how charities help look after animals.

    Download the 'Who else looks after animals?' lesson pack.

  4. Wild animals
    What are the needs of wild animals? How can we help wildlife? How can we help important wildlife areas?

    Download the 'Wild animals' lesson pack.

  5. Taking responsibility – Animal Welfare Act
    What is the law about looking after animals? Pupils learn about who is responsible for the care of animals and how the law is there to protect them.

    Download the 'Taking responsibility' lesson pack.

  6. Pet teams
    The aim of this lesson is to encourage group discussion about the importance of responsible pet ownership, the role of children in pet care and the issues they should consider when taking on a pet.

    Download the 'Pet teams' lesson pack.

  7. Animal stereotypes
    What are the animal stereotypes? How can animals be misrepresented by the media?

    Download the 'Animal stereotypes' lesson pack.

  8. Feelings
    Pupils learn about identifying other people’s feelings by the way they are acting. The lesson also underpins the needs of animals and discusses the idea of their feelings.

    Download the 'Feelings' lesson pack.

English

  1. Who else looks after animals?
    Pupils learn about how humans have a responsibility towards animals and how charities help look after animals.

    Download the 'Who else looks after animals?' lesson pack.

  2. Media at work
    Pupils learn about different types of media, author craft, and the use of language and structure in advertising.

    Download the 'Media at work' lesson pack.

History

Learn about the history of PDSA and find out what photos can tell us about the past. Designed for Key Stage 1 students.

  1. Learning from people in the past
    Pupils learn about how Maria Dickin changed the lives of people and pets forever when she started PDSA.

    Download the 'Learning from people in the past' lesson pack.

Design and Technology

During these lessons, pupils will learn about responsible pet care whilst developing their creative skills.

  1. Medals and awards
    Pupils learn about the PDSA Dickin Medal, why animals receive these awards and why it’s important to recognise this. Pupils then get creative by designing and making their own animal bravery medals.

    Download the 'Medals and awards' lesson pack

Science

As a veterinary charity employing hundreds of vets and nurses, at PDSA we love to see young people excited about the wonders of science and the natural world. We’ve created these engaging lesson plans, which we hope will help teachers deliver interesting lessons to help pupils learn more about animals. Suitable for Key stages 1 and 2 students.

  1. Body parts
    How similar are animal and human body parts? Why do the body parts vary? Pupils will also be able to locate key body parts on humans and animals.

    Download the 'Body parts' lesson pack.

  2. Growing and changing
    How do animals and humans change in different ways as we grow?

    Download the 'Growing and changing' lesson pack.

  3. Excuse me, are you alive?
    Learn to identify a living organism as something that feeds, moves and uses its senses.
    Download the 'Excuse me, are you alive?' lesson pack.

  4. Senses
    What are the senses of animals and humans? Why do some animals have extra senses to help them survive?

    Download the 'Senses' lesson pack.

  5. Moving
    How do different animals move?

    Download the 'Moving' lesson pack.

  6. Healthy teeth
    What are the different types of teeth? How can we tell what animals eat by looking inside their mouth at their teeth?

    Download the 'Healthy teeth' lesson pack.

Responsible pet care

These lessons discuss the needs of animals and humans, as well as responsible pet care. It's suitable for Key Stage 1 and 2.

  1. Pet scientists
    It introduces the basic need for all animals, including humans, to eat and exercise properly. How are we recognise for caring for a pet? What are good and bad foods for animals?

    Download the 'Pet scientists' lesson pack.

  2. Pet health
    The aim of this lesson is to introduce some of the important similarities between humans and our pets and to help pupils learn about their responsibilities when caring for a pet.

    Download the 'Pet health' lesson pack.

Maths

These resources have been developed to help pupils learn about responsible pet care whilst developing their maths skills.

  1. Healthy pets
    Learn to draw a graph to show how pets, who took part in a slimming programme at their vets, lost or gained weight over the course of their diet and exercise plan.

    Download the 'Healthy Pets' lesson pack.

  2. The cost of owning a pet
    Learn about the costs of owning a pet, whilst developing numeracy skills through carrying out simple calculations and budgeting.

    Download the 'Cost of a pet' lesson pack.

Pet Day

Hold a PDSA Pet Day. Help us celebrate one hundred years of PDSA by having fun, fundraising, and learning all about caring for pets.

  1. Student's Pet Day activity booklet
    This booklet includes a welcome page, fun filler activities for each stage of a pet’s day as well as all the worksheets for pupils to complete as you teach the Pet Day lessons.

    Download the 'Student's Pet Day' activity booklet

  2. Pet Day answer booklet
    This booklet includes answers and notes for all the activities and worksheets in the student’s Pet Day activity booklet.

    Download the 'Pet Day answer booklet'

  3. 'Just for fun' filler activities booklet
    This booklet includes useful pet-themed information, fun games and activities for pupils to complete from the student’s Pet Day activity booklet. These are not included in the lesson plans.

    Download the 'Just for fun' filler activities booklet

  4. An introduction to PDSA assembly
    This includes information about PDSA and a welcome and outline of Pet Day.

    Download the 'An introduction to PDSA assembly' booklet

  5. English – Dogs diary
    Pupils learn about the style of diary-writing. They write their own diary from a dog’s point of view.

    Download the 'English - Dogs diary' booklet

  6. Citizenship – Healthy bunnies
    Pupils learn all about animal health and the importance of checking pets over. They also create a poster about healthy rabbits.

    Download the 'Citizenship - Healthy Bunnies' booklet

  7. History – PDSA timelines
    Pupils learn how to construct a timeline. They learn about different uses of timelines and how to make a timeline of important events in PDSA’s history.

    Download the 'History - PDSA timelines' booklet

  8. Science – Trainee vets
    Pupils identify possible signs of ill health and investigate the next steps vets would take and consider what could be causing the animal’s symptom or pain.

    Download the 'Science - Trainee vets' booklet

  9. Maths – Cost of buying a pet
    Pupils investigate and calculate possible costs of buying a pet and ongoing costs of caring for a pet.

    Download the 'Maths - Cost of buying a pet' booklet

  10. Art – Dream hutch design
    Pupils design and evaluate a dream hutch for rabbits, considering the things rabbits need in their environment to be happy and healthy.

    Download the 'Art - Dream hutch design' booklet

  11. Pet Day certificate
    Download a certificate to award pupils once they have completed PDSA Pet Day.

    Download the 'Pet Day certificate'

How did we do? – Have your say on our Feedback Form

How would you rate our resources out of 10? What worked well? What could we improve on? Is there anything else which you’d like to see which we didn’t include?

We appreciate any feedback we receive, so that we can continually improve our resources. We would be grateful if you could complete the quick Feedback Form and email it to education@pdsa.org.uk or return it by post to: Education Team, PDSA head Office, Whitechapel Way, Priorslee, Telford, TF2 9PQ.


Download the Feedback form.