Today, in 8th grade agriculture, students learned about animal behavior by attempting to train Mr. Danielson's dog, Sam, to sit, lay down, and shake. Students used positive reinforcement, such as petting, treats, a reassuring tone of voice, and more. While teaching Sam to sit was relatively easy, students found it harder to train the dog to do other tricks consistently. The goal of this lesson was to teach students how to understand different animal behavior, and apply different reinforcement techniques to alter those behaviors. 

Georgette L. Miller

Southeast Valley Middle School

Agricultural Educator and FFA Adviso