Career · Lesson Plan

Becoming an Animal Trainer

A career-exploration lesson on animal trainers — who teach animals to work, perform, or behave. Students learn the many settings trainers work in (service animals, police work, entertainment, pet training) and how someone becomes an animal trainer.

Grades 5–8 Lesson Plan 30–45 minutes Free Lesson

Becoming an animal trainer career lesson illustration

For Teachers

Lesson at a glance

Topic: Career
Grade Level: Grades 5–8
Resource Type: Lesson + Worksheet
Estimated Time: 30–45 minutes
Format: Reading + worksheet
Materials: Printable lesson, worksheet, whiteboard

What Students Learn

Learning objectives

List several places where an animal trainer might work
Explain various jobs animals are trained to do
Understand that trainers help animals work, perform, or behave
Describe how and why animal trainers work with people too
Explain how a person can become an animal trainer

Materials

What you’ll need

Printed copies of the lesson reading and worksheet (one per student)
Whiteboard or projector for discussion
Optional: internet access for career research

Key Terms

Vocabulary

Animal trainer: A person who teaches animals to work, perform, or behave.
Service animal: An animal trained to help a person with a disability.
Exotic animal trainer: A trainer who works with zoo, aquarium, or circus animals.
Obedience: Training that teaches an animal to follow commands.
Entertainment: Performances in movies, TV, circuses, or shows.
Behavior: How an animal acts, which training can shape.

For Teachers

Lesson plan

Estimated time: one 30–45 minute class period.

Lesson sequence

Introduction (5 min). Ask where students have seen trained animals (service dogs, movies, zoos). Introduce animal training as a career.
Read the lesson (12 min). Students read about the settings trainers work in and the jobs animals are trained to do.
Discussion (10 min). Cover service animals, police/detection work, entertainment, and pet training — and how trainers work with people.
Worksheet (10 min). Students complete the worksheet; the answer key is included for teacher use.
Wrap-up (3 min). Students name an animal job and the setting it fits.

Assessment

Assess participation and the completed worksheet.

Discussion

Discussion questions

What are some places an animal trainer might work?
What different jobs are animals trained to do?
How is an exotic animal trainer’s work different from training pets?
Why do animal trainers also need to work well with people?
How can a person become an animal trainer?

Printable Lesson & Worksheet