With this resource we’re learning about scientists have observed two groups of long-tailed macaque monkeys in Thailand, Southeast Asia, using stone tools differently, even though the islands they live on are less than six miles apart.
This PDF resource includes this article, as well as accompanying activity ideas:
- Debate, if we could communicate with animals, whether we should? Or would that just lead to humans exploiting them even more?
- Imagine you are a long-tailed macaque who has just discovered how to use stones to get seafood out of shells. Write an advertisement that you would use to persuade your fellow macaques to use stones too
- Write a short funny sketch in the form of a playscript in which one macaque is trying to get his friend to use stones to crack open shells but the friend doesn’t like the idea of using this new ‘technology’
- Research another example of animals learning a new behaviour, especially if it shows them adapting to the human world.
Find the entire series of Topical Tuesday resources to download here.
What is The Week Junior?
The Week Junior magazine looks at current affairs and helps children make sense of the world, provides context and clarity to complex issues, improves general knowledge and encourages discussion and debate.
To find out more about The Week Junior and to download its free resources, please go to schools.theweekjunior.co.uk.