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Flesch-Kincaid Reading Level: 9.4 Mike and Mikes' Ingenious Idea Dr. Jane Goodall's biography

Benchmarks: Grade 10          

Reading Content Standard(s): 

Demonstrate literal comprehension of a variety of printed materials.
Demonstrate inferential comprehension of a variety of printed materials.
Demonstrate evaluative comprehension of a variety of printed materials.
Draw connections and explain relationships between reading selections and other texts, experiences, issues, and events.
Analyze the author’s ideas, techniques, and methods and make supported interpretations of the selection.

Materials needed:

• Using the two reading selections listed above from the African Note Cards, students will answer the following:
• Supplemental reading material read Dr. Jane Goodall's biography

1.  Draw a cartoon that shows the main ideas or plot of the section you just   read.

 Answers will vary 

  2.  Place the ideas or events in sequential order.

Answer will vary, but should include the following:

•  While batting a tin can around Mike found that other chimpanzees would run when they heard the noise it made.
• Mike understood this to mean he had found a way to intimidate his fellow chimpanzees.
• Mike practiced and found that two cans would make more noise.
•  Afraid of fighting the unknown, the males of Mike's community gave in.
• Mike became the first alpha male to govern his community by brain rather than brawn.
• Mike reigned over 14 adult males.
• Eventually an aggressive adult male, Humphrey challenged Mike in a fight and Mike was deposed.

   3. Tell about a movie, book or actual event with a similar theme.  Explain how  they are related. 

 Answers will vary 

 4.  Think about characters in the story.  How are any of them the same type of   character that you have met in other stories?

Answers will vary 

5.      Authors work with words.  Look back at the story and how this author used words to make you see, feel and understand the message.

Answers will vary, but could include words such as :

terrifyingly, banging, flailing,  dribbling, intelligent, brainy 

6.      Identify a phrase, why you included it, and why it is effective.

 Answers will vary but may include:

• descent down the forest path slapping, kicking, and smacking three cans in front of him

• quickly turned rolling and slapping huge rocks about the ground and flailing the air with enormous tree branches

• gasoline can dribbling" display for dominance

Shows in very descriptive words how chimpanzees control their dominance over others in their group

7.  What did the story or selection tell you about the author and her way of looking at life?

 Answers will vary 

8.  Authors often write pieces that are a " product of their time".  How is this true of the author or piece?

Answers will vary 

  contributed by Eric Matthews