Creating the "Perfect" Horse
Subject: Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Grade Level: 9-12
Prep
Computer Resources
- Modem: 56.6 Kbps or faster
- Browser: Netscape Navigator 4.0 or above or Internet Explorer 4.0 or above
- Macintosh computer: System 8.1 or above and at least 32 MB of RAM
- Personal computer: (Pentium II 350 MHz or Celeron 600 MHz) running Windows
95 or higher and at least 32 MB of RAM
- Large screen display monitor (optional)
Specific Software Needed
Bookmarked Sites
Wild Horses: An American Romance
http://www.pbs.org/wildhorses
This site explores the evolution of the horse, how humans came into relationship with it, and the dilemma of preserving wild horses in the American West.
Wild Horses of Mongolia: The Spirit of Mongolia
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/mongolia/spirit.html
Julia Roberts tours Mongolia and learns about a nomadic culture in which horses play a central role.
Horses: Horsepower
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/horses/horsepower.html
This site, a companion to the HORSES episode of NATURE, reviews the history of the usage of the horse in human civilization.
The Haynet: Breeds and Associations
http://www.haynet.net/Breeds_and_Associations/
This page has a list of many horse breeds with links to breed associations.
Breeds of Livestock: Horse Breeds
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/horses
This site describes the major breeds of horses and features links to different breed organizations.
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy: Horses
http://albc-usa.org/
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is an organization dedicated to preserving rare and endangered livestock breeds. Their site includes detailed descriptions of horse breeds and their status.
International Museum of the Horse
http://www.imh.org/
This site has a long list of links and online exhibits on horse history.
Horsefun
http://www.horsefun.com/
This is a site for young people that has useful information on horses.
National Show Horse Registry
http://www.nshregistry.org/
This is a resource on the lineage and characteristics of the national show horse, with a list of breed standards. The information from this site can be used to demonstrate how a perfect horse may not satisfy everyone.
National Horsetraders
http://www.nationalhorsetraders.com/
This site has many links to breeders, trainers, and ranches. Before you start the lesson, use this site to locate breeders who would be willing to communicate with your students while they research. Then, provide contact information to students.
Materials
Students will need the following supplies:
- Computers with Internet access
- Pens, pencils, and other writing tools
- Graphic organizers for collecting and organizing research
- Presentation board
Teachers will need the following:
- Television and VCR
- The video of the episode HORSE AND RIDER from Thirteen's
series NATURE.
- Chart paper
Steps
Introductory Activity
(one to two class periods)
1. Write the following descriptions based on information
from the Thirteen/WNET New York program HORSE AND RIDER on a sheet of chart
paper and display it in front of the classroom. DON'T reveal the name of the animal:
- A creature of flight -- its main defense, but it is also
brave
- A herd animal, it performs best when it's with others of
its kind
- Works in partnership with man and they form a two-person
herd
- Often, the animal is the leader in the partnership
- It is intelligent and curious
- It is a high performance animal
- It is strong, but sometimes prone to injury
Ask the students "What is this mystery animal"? Give the
students the opportunity to guess. If they need further help, ask them these questions:
- What would we consider to be "high performance" in an animal?
- Which domesticated animal forms a true working partnership
with humans, rather than a dominant-submissive relationship? How can something
lead as well as be a partner?
- How can an animal be strong, but prone to injury at the
same time? Would human athletes fit that description?
2. Once students have determined that the animal in question
is a horse, ask them to tell the class what they know about horses -- what they've
read, seen or heard. Students may have had some personal experience with horses,
and a few might be experienced riders. Have the students describe what they think
the horse was like before they were domesticated and how and why humans first
came to ride them. Have them list all the uses of horses by humans and why they
are especially suited for these uses. Ask them whether all horses are the same
or whether they are different depending on their uses. They might know of some
famous examples -- the giant Clydesdale horses, thoroughbreds, show horses, polo
ponies. Suggest to the class some of the activities horses are used for, and ask
them to describe the kinds of horses they think might be involved in those activities,
whether by name or by description.
Learning Activities
Activity 1:
(one class period)
1. Elicit from the class the qualities
of the horse that have made its partnership with humans unique in the natural
world. How did those qualities evolve? Did they evolve naturally, or were they
bred into them? The horse brings to the partnership traits which it acquired when
it evolved as a herd animal on the plains, pursued by predators -- intelligence,
speed, strength, stamina and cooperative behavior, as well as a wariness and sensitivity.
Over time, humans learned to work with these traits. Societies developed different
breeds or varieties of horses for different uses, each one having special qualities
to perform its task.
As a motivational activity, show photographs, stories, art
and video from the following sites:
International Museum of the Horse -- The Legacy of the Horse
http://www.imh.org/imh/kyhpl1b.html#xtocid2243616
Horses -- Horsepower
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/horses/horsepower.html
Wild Horses of Mongolia -- The Spirit of Mongolia
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/mongolia/spirit.html
Click on the video clip.
2. Ask the students again to list all the different activities
involving horse and rider that they can think of. Next to each particular activity,
have them list the particular traits the horse must have in order to be successful
in each activity. Include types such as racehorse, show horse, workhorse, sport
competition horse (polo, cutting horse, rodeo), categories they will see in the
program. Then ask them to list what traits the successful rider must have for
each. Discuss with students afterward if there are similarities and differences
between the traits valued in the different activities. Pose the problem to the
students: Is it possible to produce the "perfect horse," one that would possess
all the traits that riders value, and excel in all the activities requiring horse
and rider? Tell them that they will conduct research to solve this problem and
then present their "perfect horses" to the rest of the class.
Activity 2:
(five class periods)
1. Tell students that they are going to watch a video entitled HORSE AND RIDER from Thirteen's NATURE series. Explain that in the program, they will learn about three competitive activities involving horse and rider: cutting horse, dressage, and polo. If necessary, explain the three different horse-related
activities they will see. Have the students make up a table. One column lists
the horse activity. The second column is entitled "Horse Qualities," in which
students list the traits that the horse should possess for that particular activity.
The third column should be entitled "Rider Qualities" and list how the rider should
approach the particular tasks. Encourage students to discuss similarities and
differences between the different sports and how this might be reflected in the
horses and the riders. Would each be very different? Would one type be very similar
to another? Would the riders have very different or similar philosophies about
their relationships with their horses? Before watching the video, the students
divide up into teams of 4 and decide which aspect of horsemanship they are interested
in -- racing, sport competition, show horse or work horse, or any category that
may have come up in the previous activities. Each student will decide which area
interests them most and will research the types of horses and their histories.
Students then watch the program while taking notes in the Horse
and Rider Organizer.
2. After viewing the program, the students will return to
the table they made up and compare/contrast the requirements they listed with
those they heard about or observed in the film. Were there more or fewer similarities
among the requirements than they expected? Were some requirements promoted at
the expense of others? Did the horses look different? Was the approach of the
riders/trainers similar, different, or about the same? In their research, each
student should learn about horses in general and about the different horse breeds
from different perspectives -- biological, historical, cultural, economic, geographical.
They should note the strengths and weaknesses of each breed, and should keep in
mind the question posed as they do their research. They should use the Horse
Breed Facts Organizer to assist them. The following sites will be useful in
their research:
As part of the investigation, have teams (not individual
students) contact horse breeders by email to get firsthand, primary source information
on what breeding, developing, and promoting different kinds of horses involves.
Lists of breeders can be found through http://www.nationalhorsetraders.com
and through links provided in the other listed Web sites. Contact a few breeders
yourself (in advance) and ask them whether students may email them questions;
then, provide students with the breeders' contact information.
Allow time for students in each team to share what they learned with the rest
of the team. Circulate among the teams, listening to each team's conversation.
Make sure that all students are contributing to the discussion, and encourage
students to listen carefully as their teammates describe the different features
and backgrounds of their horses. After they pool their research, encourage students
to think about how 1) what they learned about the horse's physical features, behavior,
and other characteristics and 2) the ways in which they are used by humans would
make it easier or more difficult to bring these different features to a single
breed of horse. Use these questions to get them started:
- How easy or difficult would it be to bring the different
horses together in a ranch operation?
- Does selective breeding always bring about the desired
results?
- Would all the different users of horses readily accept
an all-purpose horse? Some might have strict requirements about the horse's background.
Have the students use The
Perfect Horse Organizer to pool their ideas.
Culminating Activities/Assessment:
Activity 1:
(two class periods)
1. Teams prepare their presentations, using their research
to describe which horses they would use to create the perfect horse. Students
then create a graphic, artistic flowchart on presentation board with charts, photos
of the different breeds of horses, an illustration of the perfect horse, background
descriptions, and distinguishing characteristics; they should also include a description
of what would be involved in bringing the different breeds together. Students
who are familiar with digital imaging software such as Photoshop may want to produce
a digital image of the perfect horse, created by digitally blending features from
the selected horses.
2. Each team then gives a presentation of their perfect
horse, walking the class through their flowchart and explaining how they came
to their conclusions. Allow time after each presentation for question/answer sessions,
during which teams can further explain and defend their work. When all the presentations
are complete, the issue of whether a perfect horse is possible or worthwhile to
develop may be also discussed.
Activity 2:
(two class periods)
1. Continue the discussion about whether creating a perfect
horse is possible and worthwhile. Invite students to reconsider how they would
go about creating the perfect horse and whether this is a worthwhile endeavor.
Acknowledge that it is okay if students' initial thoughts have changed.
2. For homework, instruct students to write a position paper
explaining and defending their point of view. The paper should clearly state a
position and be supported by factual details from their research.
Extension Activities
- Take a class poll to find out whether it is worthwhile
to create the perfect horse or if the task is too difficult. Chart the findings
in a bar graph.
- Create a large life-size drawing or painting of the perfect
horse, displaying the characters which it acquired from the different breeds and
with bubble notes indicating the benefits that these traits bring.
- Create a poster of a favorite kind of horse; include photos
and stories about its history and the culture that produced it.
- Write the story starter "If I owned a horse ... " on the
chalkboard. Invite students to use what they learned to create a story or a poem.
- Visit a horse ranch and talk to the trainers about their
horses and how they work with them.
- Explore how genetic engineering, as it is being used to alter domesticated plants and animals, might be applicable in producing the perfect horse
|
