Value of life

Making choices

The Value of life activity highlights the fact that in all our interactions with animals, we tend to make value judgements - often unconsciously. By requiring students to make choices about which animals they value most, the activity challenges them to think about those judgements. A series of facts about each animal is designed to make them think more deeply about their choices, and they can click on the What do we mean by value? button for some guidance about what we know of animal sentience and how our day-to-day actions can affect animal welfare. The activity touches on the complex issue of speciesism, a term coined in 1970 by Dr Richard Ryder.

The animals the students have to choose from are in groups, according to the context in which we might use or interact with them. Clicking on each link below will take you to the Value of life start page, and then directly to the group you have selected, without going through the random selection first, as the students must do.

• Group one: random animals (students complete this group first)
• Group two: research animals
• Group three: farm animals
• Group four: pet animals
• Group five: endangered or threatened animals
• Group six: animals in a food web

To encourage students to approach each round without preconceived ideas, they are not told about the nature of each grouping. We've used animal silhouettes to symbolise the animals, rather than photographs, which could stimulate more emotional responses.

Online work cards, for use with individuals or groups, provide activities that will encourage students to consider how and why humans make decisions about the way animals are used within the context of science and technological developments, and how these decisions can be affected by the current political and social climate. You may want to remind students to print out their work cards if they want to keep a record of their responses.

Teacher tip

Remember, under each of the Value of life groups listed on the left, you can click to find: 

• links to other, relevant RSPCA Education GCSE science lesson resources
• background information for students and teachers
• extension activities
• links to RSPCA press releases and publications
• useful websites and links.