Lesson Plan - Battle of the Brains

Watch a Video: Animal Brainpower
Discuss: Which examples of animal intelligence shown in the video impress you the most? Explain.

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know. 

• nervous system
• invertebrate

Set a Purpose for Reading
Draw attention to the “As You Read” question. Have students identify signs of intelligence in animals. 

1. Based on the article, what are some reasons animals use tools?
Some animals use tools for protection, like dolphins putting sea sponges on their beaks, octopuses carrying shells to hide inside, or elephants using branches to swat flies. Others use tools to get food, like chimps using sticks to dig for termites.
^{R.9 Integrate Information}

2. How is a dolphin’s unique whistle similar to a human name? 
A dolphin’s unique whistle is similar to a human name in that it can be used by other dolphins to identify that dolphin.
^{R.5 Comparison}

3. How does the author support the claim that octopuses have a lot of brainpower?
The author explains that octopuses have a central brain and a complex nervous system that enables their arms to move as if they’re making their own decisions.
^{R.8 Reasons and Evidence}

FEATURED SKILL: Main Idea
Use “Heading Hashtags” to have students create hashtags identifying the main ideas of each boxed section. Offer an example: #DolphinsTeamUp. 
^{R.2 Main Idea}