We then moved into working with the post-reading questions for the reading. To look at this we reviewed what makes a good discussion question. The main guidelines we were following included:
1 - There is no single or definite answer
2 - The text provides insight on possible answers
3 - There is room for debate and various perspectivesEveryone then came up with their own discussion questions for this article, which they wrote down on slips of paper. We then had a full class discussion where we pulled questions randomly out of a box and discussed them. The questions we discussed in class were as follows:
Do you think over the next upcoming years, the intelligence of chimps/apes will increase?
Why do you think television portrays primates to be aggressive and wild unlike the real truth?
What makes chimpanzees want to imitate other chimpanzees? Like how eating termites was passed on by social tradition?
Did reading this article help you learn anything about humans?
If we accepted others the way that chimpanzees accept other chimps, would we be more peaceful and have fewer wars?
Since chimps are so much like humans, why don’t they experience jealousy in relationships?
For the final post-reading question, everyone should choose one of these questions to respond to formally.
Handouts:
Homework:
Respond to the post-reading questions for Goodall's "My Life Among Wild Chimpanzees"
