TEACHERS TAKE NOTE

Travels with Tarra

Carol Buckley

Hardcover, $16.95, ISBN 978-0-88448-241-3

9 x 10, 40 pages, photographs

Children / Nature; Grades 3-6

Adults and children everywhere will be moved by this story which gently explores how difficult it is to meet the needs of a captive, exotic animal, and what their "rights" in our society ought to be.

Travels With Tarra will help inspire classroom conversations about:

  • Asian elephants
  • Animal habitats
  • Endangered animals and animal rights
  • Careers which may involve the care and protection of animals
  • The culture of zoos and circuses

Activities

  • Visit the website of the Elephant Sanctuary. There are many activities available there which are designed to teach children all about elephants.
  • Have students learn about how elephants live and are cared for in their native Asian countries.
  • Have students discuss what they can do to promote the wellbeing of exotic animals in captivity.
  • In many states there are laws pending that would prohibit the use of elephants and other large exotics in traveling circuses. Have students discuss why this is being done and what they think about it.

Internet Resources

The Elephant Sanctuary

This is the official website of the Sanctuary, which features photographs and information about Tarra and the other elephants and real-time viewing of the elephants at The Sanctuary. There are elephant curriculum materials that teachers can easily download, links to other web sites, and much more.
www.elephants.com

The Elephant Information Repository

This is an extensive directory of elephant web sites, organizations, events, etc.
elephant.elehost.com

African Elephants

Visit the website of a leading expert on African Elephant family structures, life cycle, and behavior and read about her work with elephants.
www.elephanttrust.org/node/41

The Humane Society of the United States

This site offers extensive information about the treatment of captive animals and other issues.
www.hsus.org