Lesson Plan

Amazing Animals Who

Changed the World
Story Summary
Little Heroes: Amazing Animals Who Changed the
World is an introduction to the incredible animals who
taught us that you don’t have to be big (or human)
to make a difference. Simple text and adorable
illustrations tell the contributions of nine animals who
went down in history as interspecies heroes: Blossom
the vaccine cow, Stubby the war dog, Cher Ami the
carrier pigeon, Winnie the friendly bear, Simon the
seacat, Togo the sled dog, Able and Baker the space
Book Information monkeys, and Koko the signing gorilla.

Run Time 11:33

Lesson Focus
Author Heidi Poelman Amazing Animals

Illustrator Kyle Kershner

Narrator Ashton Sundholm

Activity Ideas
Secret Code
Publisher Familius
Create a secret code message to deliver to
Ages 2–9 one of your friends.

Genre Nonfiction Poster

Create a poster about one of the animals
Text Structure Text divided into separate stories about
and the difference it made.
each amazing animal’s courageous acts.
Themes & Ideas animals, rescues, historical events, Zoo
courage, making a difference
Visit a zoo.
Language & Many specific terms
Literary Features Read
Sentence Simple and complex sentences. Dialogue. Read Winnie the Pooh.
Complexity
Vocabulary disease, vaccine, mascot, medics, salute,
carrier pigeons, enlisted, diphtheria, serum, Additional activities can be found in the following
morale, infestation, celebrity, mammal, pages of this document.
exploration, international, cosmonaut
Special Courage
Vocabulary
Illustrations Colorful, adorable artwork illustrations of
the animals and the people who helped
them achieve their courageous acts.

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 Book Chat
NAME

Amazing Animals Who

Changed the World Discuss the story and write your
answers together.
Amazing Animals Who Changed the World is an introduction to the
incredible animals who taught us that you don’t have to be big
(or human) to make a difference. Simple text and adorable
illustrations tell the contributions of nine animals who went down
in history as interspecies heroes: Blossom the vaccine cow, Stubby
the war dog, Cher Ami the carrier pigeon, Winnie the friendly bear,
Simon the seacat, Togo the sled dog, Able and Baker the space
monkeys, and Koko the signing gorilla.

What is Amazing Animals Who Changed the World about?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

How do the animals show courage in Amazing Animals Who Changed

the World?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

What kinds of changes do the animals make in Amazing Animals Who

Changed the World?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Which animal do you think showed the most courage in Amazing

Animals Who Changed the World? Why?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Vooks Pause & Ponder

Amazing Animals Who Pause at the indicated time

stamps and discuss the story

Changed the World

1:18 Why are vaccines important?

3:47 What are some other ways to get messages to people?

4:25 What would it be like to have a bear for a pet?

4:45 Have you ever been to a zoo? What was it like?

7:03 How is a sled dog different from a pet dog?

Do you have a pet? If you do, what is it like to have a pet.

8:19 If not, what kind of pet might you like to have and why?

9:07 What do you think outer space is like?

Have you ever been able to tell what an animal was feeling? How?
10:41 How can you tell what a person is feeling?

After viewing the Book:

1. Choose an animal mascot for your family.
Explain why you chose that animal.

2. What was your favorite fact that you learned from

Amazing Animals Who Changed the World?

3. What makes you unique?

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 Fact Sheet

Blossom the Cow Togo the Sled Dog

● In 1796 Sarah Nelmes and her cow, ● In 1925, diphtheria broke out in the Alaskan
Blossom, both became sick with cowpox. village of Nome.
● Dr. Edward Jenner purposely gave a boy ● Led a team of sled dogs on a long and dangerous
cowpox and it protected him from smallpox. stretch of 261 miles to deliver life saving serum.
● Dr. Jenner, Sarah, and Blossom helped ● Together with other sled teams, Togo completed
eliminate smallpox. a relay of about 675 miles to save a village of
1,400 people.
Sergeant Stubby
Seacat Simon
● A stray puppy who found his way to
Robert Conroy during WWI. ● Smuggled on a British Royal Navy ship in
● Could salute the soldiers, alert soldiers to 1948 by a sailor.
dangerous gas attacks, help medics find the ● Had a special ability to comfort wounded sailors
wounded, and comfort injured men. and boost morale.
● In 1921, when Robert Conroy went to study law at ● Wiped out a major infestation of rats on the ship.
Georgetown University, Stubby came along with
him and became the school mascot. Able and Baker, the
Space Monkeys
Cher Ami the Carrier Pigeon
● In 1959, they flew on a Jupiter missile 360 miles
● Delivered 12 secret messages across long above the earth at a speed of 10,000 miles per
distances during WWI. hour.
● Helped in the rescue of 194 soldiers known as ● Proved that mammals could survive space flight.
“The Lost Battalion”. ● Because of them, scientists moved forward with
● During World War I, the US Army enlisted the
space exploration.
help of about 600 carrier pigeon to deliver
secret messages.
Koko the Signing Gorilla
Winnie the Bear ● Penny Patterson taught her more than a thousand
signs in sign language.
● Harry Colebourne, a soldier, bought her for
● Showed emotions after her cat died.
$20 and named her Winnie after his hometown
● Forever changed our understanding of how much
of Winnipeg.
humans have in common with animals.
● Her friendship with Christopher Robin led
Christopher’s father to write Winnie the Pooh.
● The real Christopher Robin actually had a teddy
bear he named Winnie.

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 Coloring Sheet NAME
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 Drawing and Writing NAME

Draw a picture of your favorite animal that changed

the world and finish the sentence below.

My favorite animal(s) was_________________________________________.

I liked the animal(s) because _____________________________________

_______________________________________________________________.

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 Amazing Animal Matching NAME

Match the illustration with the animal’s name from Amazing Animals Who
Changed the World. Draw a line to connect the two.

Blossom the Cow

Able and Baker,

the Space Monkeys

Cher Ami the

Carrier Pigeon

Seacat Simon

Togo the Sled Dog

Koko the Signing Gorilla

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 Amazing Animal Research
NAME
Pick three of the animals from Amazing Animals Who Changed the
World and write three facts that you learned about each animal.
You can find facts from the story or through research on your own.
Animal Animal Animal
Name: Name: Name:
1.
__________________________________ 1.
__________________________________ 1.
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2.
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2.
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2.
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__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________
3.
__________________________________
3.
__________________________________
3.
__________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________
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