“Can Animals Think?”

Please do the following: Finish Zaroff’s characterization chart. Staple the plot questions and the characterization charts together (plot questions on top, please!) Turn them in. Read the magazine article “Can Animals Think?” found on pages 27-29. As you read, think about the evidence the author uses to support his position. In your notebook on a clean sheet of paper, do the following: Reading Check questions on top of page 30 Test Practice Questions in the middle of page 30.

Can animals think? Now, watch the following video clips. For each video clip, write a 2 – 3 sentence impression. In other words, describe what you think about the video. This will be handed in with the final copy of the paragraph. 1. CNN http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/videos/can-animals-think-like-humans 2. Funniest home videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6PsyIbhHQ8 3. Koko and Kitten http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqTUG8MPmGg 4. Koko and Robin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs0fy0Rs8PM 5. Animal Intelligence clips http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GpIZQ239Ls

Writing Assignment Write one 12 sentence paragraph that answers the following question: Do you believe that animals are able to reason and think or do you think that animals simply learn through repetition and reward, or both? Use personal examples, information from the reading, and information from the video clips to back up your opinion.

Brainstorming First state your opinion on the top of your page. “I do (or do not) think …” Next, from the reading, the video clips, and perhaps even from personal experience, brainstorm pieces of evidence that back up your claim. It might look like this: You need 3 reasons that explain why you believe as you do.

Writing your paragraph: Sentence 1: Topic sentence In the article “Can Animals Think?”, the author makes a compelling argument that some animals have the capacity to reason and feel. OR By studying animal behavior, scientists have observed creative thinking, a sign of advanced intelligence in some animals. Despite the fact that scientists have studied animal behavior for years, there is no conclusive evidence that animals can think and reason.

Writing your paragraph 2. Sentence 2: Elaboration sentence Next, elaborate: This is true because. . . OR Many animals are smarter than people give them credit for. Even though it appears at times that animals do think, most of what they exhibit are examples of learned behavior.

Writing your paragraph Sentences 3, 4, and 5 These three sentences mark your first claim, bit of evidence, and analysis. Sentence 3: Now introduce your first argument, something like this: In the “All Ball” video, Koko the gorilla had built a strong bond with the kitten. Be sure to cite this information by using parenthesis at the end of the sentence (“Koko and Kitten”). Sentence 4: Now, give your evidence: When she found out All Ball was killed, Koko reacted by… Sentence 5: Next try some analysis—explain what the evidence proves. Koko’s reaction was interesting because… It seems that Koko was displaying true emotion. If Koko were just an unthinking, unreasoning animal she…

Writing your paragraph Sentences 6, 7, and 8 These sentences mark the second claim, evidence, and analysis of your paragraph. Sentence 6: Introduce your next piece of evidence with a claim. An even more compelling bit of evidence that some animals can think was Orky’s intriguing behavior at the sight of the its baby in trouble. Sentence 7: Give your evidence and remember to cite it: Orky created. . . (Linden 28). Sentence 8: Analyze – what does this piece of evidence mean? Orky shows that. . . .

Writing your paragraph Sentences 9, 10, and 11 These sentences mark the third claim, evidence, and analysis of your paragraph. Sentence 9: Introduce the next piece of evidence with claim 3. A final way animals prove they can reason. . . Sentence 10: Give your evidence and remember to cite it. In the video, the bird. . .(Animal Intelligence Clips) Sentence 11: Analysis—what does the evidence mean? The bird illustrates that he is intelligent and can reason because. . .

Writing your paragraph Sentence 12: Concluding sentence This sentence summarizes your entire paragraph. It is for these reasons that I think. . .

Finishing your essay Any time you use information from a source, you need to cite it and document its place of origin. This is called a Works Cited. Purdue OWL is a great resource; you may use online tools as long as you understand the different pieces that are required in a Works Cited entry. The following slide has the Works Cited entries for this writing assignment. If you found other information outside of class, you will need to create a Works Cited entry for that source as well. All Works Cited entries should be alphabetized according to the first letter of each entry. Only put the entries of the sources you cited in your Works Cited.

Works Cited Use the following Works Cited for this paragraph: Animal Intelligence Clips. Dir. Doiden. Animal Intelligence Clips. YouTube, 28 May 2011. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. Funniest Home Videos. Dir. 10000turtles. Funniest Home Videos. YouTube, 19 Apr. 2009. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. Koko and Kitten. Dir. Kokoflix. Koko and Kitten. YouTube, 03 Aug. 2009. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. Linden, Eugene. ""Can Animals Think?"" Elements of Literature. Ed. John H. Layden. 3rd ed. Orlando: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2005. 27-29. Print. Mother Nature Network. Mother Nature Network. CNN, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.