The Perfect Pet

What can students learn from this?

This practical exercise can be worked with students of different ages and profiles, since it seeks to teach while having fun, that is, we are introducing gamification techniques.

Students will understand that decisions at the individual level must be agreed by everyone when working as a team. They will also develop the decision-making skill, having to justify why they match each pet with the selected owner.

How can I do this in class?

Give a template and a scissors to each student. Let them cut all the pieces and then, after explaining the dynamic of the practical exercise, start with this phases:

Presentation of practical exercise

Explain students that they will have a template with 9 possible owners and 9 pets. So they have to think about personal needs, time available, personality or another aspects of each owner to make the pairs and match each of them with the “perfect pet”.

Individual part

Let students 10 minutes to make the pairs and to link each owner to one pet. Explain that they have to justify their choices.

Group part

Then, put students in groups of 3-4 and make them comment why they have make this pairs. Give students 20 min to take their decisions.

Probably, each student has chosen a different criteria to make the pairs, but this is the interesting thing of this exercise. Each group will have to agree in just one classification.

Reflection phase

Write in the blackboard the conclusions of each team and promote reflection (10 min).

RULES for students:

• Think about the personal characteristics of each of the owners you have on the cards.
• Reflect on the workload that the care of each pet requires, or what it would bring to each owner.
• Reason and give arguments that support your answer.
• Think that the goal is the happiness of both pets and owners
• Cooperate and collaborate with your colleagues to find the best solution

RULES for teachers:

• Make sure that everybody understand the rules
• Help the students that you observe that are stuck
• Try to energize the groups that are more quiet
• Count down the time and set the different phases of the exercise

Reflection tips

• What was the strategy of each student
• How they felt when they had to agree in just one classification?
• It was easy to arrive to an agreement? Why?
• Which were the criteria identified to make the pairs? it was easy?
• How did you motivate your choices?
• What did you learn?
• Do you think that it is easy to take decisions? Which is the most difficult part for you?