Animalia

Since 2009, the Seine-Saint-Denis County Council has been backing “la Culture et l’Art au Collège (CAC)”. This project is based to a large extent on the presence in class for several weeks (40h) of an artist or scientist whose mission is to engage the students in a process of research and creation. 

Tutors: Hélène Benoit/ vet, director of the Champignelles practice, Ludovic Freyburger/ vet, lecturer in Clinical Immunology, Philippe Lenouvel, ethologist, PhD in neuroscience, Hélène Roche, Romy Sauvageot/ ethologists

Project manager: Anna Mezey

Objectives :
The classes are asked the odd question: What is the current state of the relationship between man and animals. Avoiding the conventional split between human beings and animals, which is not an accurate picture of what really happens, 'Animalia' shows that our histories are closely intertwined and that we share the same living space and influence the same environment. The project includes several outings to keep the pupils in contact with living beings.

Workshops :
What are animals and what is ethology?
The tutor led a discussion about animals: What relations do we have with animals? What do they bring us? How are they perceived? An introduction to basic notions of ethology: How can we observe and understand animals? How should we look at their behaviour? What influence does the environment have on them? Preparation of an analytical grid: an ethogram.

How have humans changed animals?
Several sessions in class with Catherine Ringuier and her dog Enzo gave the pupils a chance to observe a human being and an animal 'working together'. The pupils furthered their research on an educational farm, where they interviewed the keepers about the role played by pets and farm animals. To finish their project, the class spent two days at the Wolf Park (Creuse) analysing the differences and similarities between dogs and wolves.

Are animals all the same? Or is each animal unique?
In this phase, the pupils looked at the delicate idea of individuality in animals. They analysed the results of the earlier part of the project and tried to understand the behaviour they had observed. At the end, the classes discussed the evolution of animals in our society.

Acknwoledgements: 'Parole de chien' club

Outings (selection):
- Parc des Félins, visit to the feline reproduction centre and guided tour of the big cat park.
- Monts de Guéret wildlife park, visit to the wolf park
- Ferme expérimentale de Grignon, visit to the animal enclosure
- Centre équestre de la Courneuve, observation and study of the horses
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, visit to the Champignelles clinic

Participating schools: 
- Class (6th) SEGPA, Collège Rosa Luxembourg, Aubervilliers
- Class (6th), Collège Auguste Delaune, Bobigny
- Class (6th), Collège Jean Jaurès, Pantin
- Class (6th) SEGPA, Collège Théodore Monod, Gagny
- Class (6th), Collège Paul Painlevé, Sevran