Wild Chimpanzees

How do we talk about, observe, and sort out life?

Part 1: Populations Vocabulary

Write the following chart in your journal, discuss with your table what you think each word means, then fill in column two:

Watch Introduction to Ecology 1 (note that for 2 individuals to be of the same species, their offspring needs to be viable) and then Introduction to Ecology 2 (stop at 4:04).

In your journal, fill in the third column as shown below.

Part 2: Life in a Community

Observe the individual, organism, population, community, ecosystem demonstration with classroom plants.

Read Life in a Community (pp. 6-7).

Answer the questions in the "Life in a Community" section of the Among the Wild Chimpanzees assignment sheet.

Part 3: The Wild Chimps

Observe the Jane Goodall article from National Geographic October, 2017.

If you did not do Parts 1-2 above, make the following table in your journal now.

Fill in the table in your journal while watching Among the Wild Chimpanzees movie (up to minute 41).

If you already did Parts 1-2 above, complete the Among the Wild Chimpanzees assignment sheet while watching the movie.

Point: Watch how Jane Goodall observes a population over time.

Part 4: Jane Goodall (Observation) Challenge - aka Activator

The objective of the game is to be a keen observer and figure out who the "activator" (Jane Goodall) is.

1. While standing in a tight circle, students receive (and keep secret) one index card with an action on it. One student will receive a card that says "activator."

2. The activator's job is to use a subtle signal to activate the other players without being noticed (the group now decides on what signal will be used, like blinking or smiling).

3. When a player is activated, (s)he must wait 3 seconds and then start doing the action on her/his card. Once activated, players must continue their actions until the game ends.

4. Players who have not yet been activated may try to guess who the activator is by raising their hand and being called on by the teacher. If a player guesses incorrectly, (s)he becomes activated.

Reflection Questions:

1. What happened during the game?

2. Could you guess the activator? How?

3. How did it feel (or how do you think it would feel) to be the activator? Was it (would it be) hard? Why?

4. What observation skills did you use? How can you use these outside the game?

5. Why did we have the "activator" be called Jane Goodall?

Part 5: Card Sorting

This is a chance to practice your vocabulary with a card game.

1. With your table group, arrange the labels "individuals," "populations," "community," "ecosystem," "abiotic," and "unknown" on your table.

2. Sort the small cards into piles in their proper places and be ready to defend your placement.

3. When you are ready, raise your hand and a teacher will check your work.

Possible Extension: If instructed, on the front white board, arrange large cards in the proper locations

Part 6: Bill Nye Populations

Though an amazing pioneer as a scientist, Jane Goodall is not the only scientist to have made movies . . .

Watch Bill Nye Populations (season 3, episode 19) [try this link if the first one does not work] and complete the Bill Nye Populations assignment sheet.

Wild Chimpanzees Extension:

Read the Jane Goodall article from National Geographic October, 2017.

Observe the online human population simulation.

Run the Virtual Ecosystem rabbit breeding simulation.

1. Write a one paragraph summary of what you learned from the three resources linked above.

2. Then, evaluate the resources in one paragraph. In your evaluation, give your opinion on how appropriate the material from them would be for the rest of class, judge the pros and cons of them, and predict how well students will do with the them.

3. Then, write a paragraph with a recommendation for whether the resources should be used by the full class in the future.