ISN Welcomes the “Sensibles” Exhibition: Exploring Animal Sentience Through Education

ISN recently had the honour of hosting the exhibition “Sensibles”, designed by L214 Éducation in partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute France. As an Eco-School, we were privileged to welcome this thought-provoking exhibition, made up of 17 informative panels, which invited students to reflect on an important and often overlooked concept: animal sentience.

Presented to several classes from Preschool to High School, the exhibition gave students of all ages the opportunity to discover and explore the idea that animals can feel emotions, experience pain, and interact with their environment in complex and meaningful ways.

The panels combined scientific information, engaging visuals, and thought-provoking questions, encouraging students to think beyond their usual perspectives. They explored how animals experience the world around them and challenged students to reflect on the similarities between animal and human sensitivity. This presentation helped students develop their critical thinking, open-mindedness, and empathy, while considering the ways humans interact with animals.

The exhibition also connected strongly to Theory of Knowledge (TOK) by raising important questions such as: How do we know that animals are sentient? and What responsibilities do humans have towards them? These discussions encouraged students to make links between science, ethics, and philosophy, deepening their understanding of the topic.

To make the experience even more interactive, we also created a quiz adapted for different age groups: Primary, Middle School, and High School. This allowed us to check what students had learned while encouraging them to reflect on how they could personally contribute to animal welfare. The quiz offered different perspectives on how each of us can make a difference and added a fun and engaging dimension to the exhibition.

By welcoming “Sensibles” to ISN, we aimed to raise awareness about animal welfare and inspire students to think more deeply about sustainability, biodiversity, and the ethical choices we make in our everyday lives. This event also reinforced our Eco-School values, promoting respect for all living beings and encouraging informed, responsible citizenship.

- Grade 10 Environmental Systems Students