Last week, high school students in the Animal Behavior class hosted a shared reading event with grade 2. The Animal Behavior students took on the challenge of either writing and illustrating original children’s books, creating a digital series of zoo exhibit signs or creating original music or acoustic analyses of primate (chimpanzee, gorilla or capuchin monkey) communication and language. It was a wonderful example of the interdivisional opportunities that PDS fosters.
High school students Taylor ’18 (left) and Anastasia ’18 (right) sharing their original story about Koko the gorilla using sign language to communicate. Taylor was using American sign language as Anastasia read the story to Ella ’27 (left) and Lyris ’27 (right).
James ’18 showing Sophie ’27 (left) and Ella ’27i (right) how primate calls in the wild compare with calls created by the TV/book cartoon character Curious George.
Johnson ’17 reading his original pop-up book about chimpanzee gestures to Adara ’27 (left) and Anastasia ’27 (right).
Eli ’17 (left) and Tia ’17 (right) reading their original story on capuchin communication and family dynamics to Wynn ’27 (left) and Ryan ’27 (right).
Charlie ’17 and La’v’al ’17 reading their story about a chimpanzee research expedition to Francesca ’27 (left) and Gigi ’27 (right).
Rachel ’17 reading her original written and illustrated story on capuchin communication to second graders Sophie ’27 (right) and Ella ’27 (left).