Objective:

Students will become familiar with the differences in grasping power of the hands and feet of various primates. This exercise is also an introduction tothe Primate Locomotion Field Study, and will help students observe the actual primates.

Materials:

1. one toilet paper role for each student

2. one hammer, a piece of scrap wood, and a few nails for each student

Procedure:

1. Using the drawings above, have the students hold a toilet paper role according to each primate listed.

2. Have the students try to drive nails in a piece of scrap wood by holding the hammer as in each example. Which grasp was the easiest and the hardest to drive a nail?

contributed by Eric Matthews