Teacher's Guide for ODYSSEY^TM Passionate about Primates

Format:
      Article / Page
      Summary
      Skills

Exploring the Issue: Passionate About Primates

Format:
      Article / Page
      Summary
      Skills

"What is a Primate?", pg. 6

• What sets primates apart from other mammals? Explore the classification of the more than 200 primate species. Follow up with a puzzle to test your "Primatology Potential." A sidebar (pg. 8) presents evidence for culture among chimpanzees.
• Observation, Classification, Interpretation

" ""'Going Ape""' Over Language," pg. 10

• To "ape" means to imitate, but these great apes do much more when they communicate through sign language and "Yerkish." A sidebar (pg. 13) describes the "monkey music" of the Guatemalan jungle.
• Inductive Reasoning, Drawing Conclusions

"Cousins in Crisis," pg. 14

• Habitat destruction, hunting, poaching, and political unrest endanger the world's Great Apes. Can we save them from ourselves? A sidebar highlights shared disease as a danger to both apes and humans.
• Problem-Solving, Environmental Responsibility

"Are Ape Rights the Next Frontier?", pg. 18

• Two writers present opposite sides of this controversy. Apes need to be protected from human exploitation, but some biomedical research may be justified.
• Drawing Conclusions, Ethical Analysis

"People to Discover - An Interview with Frans de Waal," pg. 20

• Primatologist de Waal explains the importance of primate study, explores human similarities to other primates, and tells how ODYSSEY^TM readers can help preserve our endangered cousins.
• Observation, Environmental Protection

" ""'People of the Forest""' - Borneo's Wild Orangutans,", pg. 22

• Researcher Cheryl Knott trails orangutans through the treetops of Borneo. Her team hopes to solve some mysteries about childbearing and diet among these extraordinary animals.
• Research Methods, Interpretation of Data

"Brain Strain: Lemur Journey," pg. 25

• Look out! Lemurs are clawing holes in the walls of your mansion, looking for food. Take the challenge and become a speedy lemur feeder.
• Following Directions, Problem-Solving

"From Tragedy to Triumph: Rebuilding a Zoo Family," pg. 26

• After a fire killed primates at the Philadelphia Zoo, the zoo set out to rebuild. Their new design emphasizes delivering the conservation message to visitors. A sidebar (pg. 29) reveals how to communicate with a gorilla. An accompanying article (pg. 30) describes the Gorilla Forest at the Bronx Zoo in New York.
• Deductive Reasoning, Application

" 'I'm a Lemur, Not a Monkey!' ", pg. 31

• The island of Madagascar is home to 32 species of lemurs that live naturally only there. They differ from monkeys in important ways but face many of the same threats to survival.
• Vocabulary, Adaptation

"The Future of Our World's Primates: What is Your Vision?" (Activity), pg. 33

• A creative writing and art contest asks entrants to imagine the world of primates in the year 2050.
• Creative Thinking, Extrapolation

"What's Up? (Planet Watch and Backyard Observations)," pg. 35

• Venus and Mercury switch places in the morning and evening skies, and viewers prepare for the Orionid meteor shower. An activity (pg. 38) tells how to construct a scale model of the solar system.
• Observation, Following Directions

"Jane Goodall: Primate Pioneer," pg. 40

• A profile of the famous animal behaviorist traces her life from childhood through her founding of the Jane Goodall Institute. A sidebar (pg. 42) describes the Roots and Shoots program, offering tips for readers who would like to become involved.
• Career Choices, Environmental Action

"World Wide Web: Primate Scavenger Hunt" (Activity), pg. 44

• Players find information on the Internet to discover the author and subject of a quote.
• Web Research, Following Directions

1. Through discussion, make lists of how humans and other primates are alike and different. Give examples of specific primates (other than humans) to illustrate each point.
2. If you were in charge of designing a primate habitat in a zoo, what would you include? Organize the class into small groups and ask teams to come up with designs. After reading pages 26 through 30, review, evaluate, and modify the designs.

Pg. 6 - "What is a Primate?"

• Talk It Over:
  1. After reading the article, review the comparison lists you made. What points did you miss before reading? Was the class wrong about anything? Correct and expand your lists, adding additional ideas and examples.
  2. Reread the sidebar on page 8. What is the author""'s definition of culture? How does this definition differ from your idea of the term? How do precise definitions help scientists investigate and communicate?
• Connections:
  1. Mathematics: Find a map of the island of Madagascar that shows vegetation. Note the year on the map and the amount of forested area that was on the island that year. Find statistics on the total area of forested land on the island. Make sure you note the year of your data. Assuming that the annual loss continues at the rate given on page 9, how much forest is left now? How much will be left five years from now? (Hint: You may need to convert all your figures to the same unit, whether hectares, acres, square kilometers, or square miles.)
  2. Language Arts: Write a letter to your congressional representative to express your opinion on the dangers faced by primates today. You may want to suggest some action (for example, research or legislation), or simply state your view as clearly as possible. Don't forget to support your opinion with facts.
  3. Visual Arts: Solve the puzzle "Your Primatology Potential" on page 9. Note how it is constructed. Use the same format to create a puzzle about some group or species of primate. Remember that your answers must come together to form a key word.
• Student Assessment:
  1. Are humans primates? Write an essay to answer the question. Use facts from the article and from other sources to support your response.
  2. Pretend you are the curator of the primate habitat at a large zoo. Write or deliver the speech you would give to a visiting class of students on the topic "What is a Primate?""

pg. 18 - "Are Ape Rights the Next Frontier?"

• Talk It Over:
  1. Split the class in half. Have each half read only one of the two arguments. Then ask, "Should apes be used for medical research? Why or why not?" After discussion, have each student read the section he or she skipped earlier.
  2. Can there be a compromise between these two viewpoints? If so, what might be included in that compromise to satisfy both sides?
• Connections:
  1. History: Animal rights are a rather new idea, but laws regulating the human use of animals go back centuries. What laws does your community or state have regarding the care of pets, horses, or farm animals? A telephone call to your state""'s Department of Agriculture and to the local SPCA should get your research started. To see how animal laws have changed, organize statutes into a time line by the year of their passage.
  2. Research / Language Arts: Access the Web sites listed at the end of one of the two articles. Using information found there, write a rebuttal to the "other side," countering their arguments.
  3. Visual Arts: Make a poster that shows the arguments presented in these two articles. Include pictures and text to make this complex topic as clear as possible to someone who has not read the articles. Display posters for the class, school, or community.
• Student Assessment:
  1. State your opinion on this controversy as a thesis sentence, followed by a detailed explanation of your opinion and your reasons for thinking as you do. Finish with a paragraph that rebuts two arguments you might expect from someone who opposes your point of view.
  2. Participate in a class or small-group debate on the topic of animal rights. Gather your information from this article and other sources. Work either as a researcher or speaker. Follow the rules for formal debating.

Song titles that never quite made it:

"Gor-illa My Dreams, I Love You"

Small-Group Collaboration: Our fascination with primates is revealed in the many stories that feature them. Break the class into teams of two or three students. Ask each team to select a movie or book that features a nonhuman primate. Have the group make a poster to promote the film or novel. The poster should include a brief description of how accurately the film or novel portrays its primate character, followed by a rating for accuracy of from 1 to 4 stars.

"Yes, It's Only a PayBa-boon"

Community Connection: Contact the public relations or educational center of a zoo or wildlife preserve in your state. Ask a spokesperson to visit your class and discuss the primates in their care. Have the class plan questions involving zoo habitat, breeding programs, conservation efforts, diet, and health. If speakers aren""'t available, visit an animal care facility and ask questions of your tour guide.

"You're Gibbon Me a Heartache"

Whole-Class Project: Brainstorm a list of organizations (local, national, international) that are involved with primates in some way. Several are listed in the magazine, and more can be found through Internet research. When enough organizations have been identified, break the class into pairs. Ask each pair to research a group and find out about its interests and activities. Contact the organization for information or literature. When resources have been collected, organize a bulletin board display.

"Si-mi-an September"

Individual, Intergrade Activity: Have each student write a children's story told from a nonhuman primate""'s point of view. Make sure the story reveals many facts about the teller""'s habitat and way of life. After the stories have been edited, illustrated, and printed, arrange to read your stories to students in a primary grade.

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Updated: 11/21/09 04:09 pm
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