Domestic and wild animals 

•         Learn about the differences between domestic and wild animals around the world.

• Compare the wild animals in the UK and Malawi.

• Discuss the impact of animals on the lives of people in the UK and Malawi.

Useful Links

Woodland Trust Woods are brimming with wildlife. Discover what's out there!

•         Wildlife Conservation & Welfare pack (an excellent teaching resource published by the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust as part of their Eco Schools Malawi programme. The information is about wildlife from a Malawian perspective and some pages highlight differences in our way of life which may need some explanation. )

• Download pictures of domestic and wild animals.

•     Download information about wildlife in Malawi.

Suggested Lessons:

Use the pictures of domestic and wild animals for sorting activities.

Use as a focus for discussing the difference between wild and domestic animals.

Discuss what our responsibilities are for domestic animals. Extend discussion to include the difference between farm animals, working animals and pets.

Explore the differences between the wild animals in the UK and in Malawi.

Do we have responsibilities for wild animals?

Opportunity for discussion with your linked school

What wild animals do you see in your local area?

Ask your linked school what wild animals they are familiar with in their own country.

Which animals have they seen or had experience of?

Discuss the part pets play in our lives in the UK. What animals make good pets and what do they add to our lives? How do we feel about our pets? What does keeping a pet teach you?

Malawian people don't usually keep pets in the way we do in the UK. Why do you think that is? (Think about what we buy for our pets). Tell your linked school about how you look after your pets and ask them to explain the part animals play in their lives.

•       Extra activity:  Divide an area in two – label one area ‘domestic’ and the other ‘wild’.

  Invite a few children to think of a favourite animal and then position themselves in the correct designated area.  They can act in the manner of their chosen animal for others to guess what they are. Give a fact about their animal.

•        Further discussion

  Look at the photo 'The New Arrival'. The women have bought or been given a new calf. How do they feel? Why is the calf so important to them? What does it tell you about how they treat their animals?

Look at our Storytelling Page for traditional short stories from Malawi about animals.

Old Bexley Primary School- here is an example of a local school’s PSHE lesson plan.