“The Dangers of Dogs in Hot Cars” Teaching Guide

“Through concepts in mathematics, physics and biology, students learn why it is dangerous to leave a dog in a hot car.”
“My favorite part of today was learning about what we can do to protect dogs [from heat].”
“I will share this lesson with my family and my friends to let them know so they don’t lose a part of their family.”

Elementary school teachers: Download RedRover’s free teaching guide and supplemental materials below to use in your classroom! Do you know how fast your car can get to deadly temperatures for dogs when it’s parked in the sun with the windows cracked on a warm day? Students will know all about this topic after completing this activity. They will enjoy applying concepts in physics, biology and mathematics to a real-life problem that occurs in virtually every community: the problem of dog owners leaving their dogs in a closed vehicle while they shop, dine or run errands, putting their dogs’ lives at risk. The teaching guide concludes with character education as the students synthesize their new knowledge about the issue and discuss and discover ways to spread the word and prevent animal suffering.

The teaching guide is designed for students at the fifth-grade level and includes adaptations for younger and older students. It is aligned with content standards.