Ape Genius
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Student Handout
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Ape Genius?
The non-human
great apes—chimps, bonobos, orangutans, and gorillas—are our
nearest relatives. They have some of the
biggest brains in proportion to body size of any animals and their capacity for
intelligence seems to be unsurpassed by other species except our own. But are
apes as intelligent as humans? In this activity, learn what studies reveal
about the intelligence of great apes.
Procedure
Circle which of the
following category you were assigned on your "Studying
Apes and Humans" handout:
A: Mechanical Aptitude
B:
Imitation
C:
Cooperation
D:
Social Emotions
E: Math/Symbol Skills
F:
Communication Read about what the experiments or field observations in your category
entail on the handout. While watching the program, take notes on:
- what was observed in the experiments about apes and humans
- what conclusions were drawn from the observations
After watching the program,
meet with your team members. Together, come up with a team consensus about what
was observed and concluded. Write these answers down on a new sheet of paper.
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