Animal Behavior - Georgia Aquarium

Animal Behavior
Teachers guide
Grades 9-12
Program Description: Before animals can live in an aquarium,
biologists must understand their needs and behaviors. Students will
discover how the biologists at the aquarium maintain the health of the
animals and the steps taken to train animals for feeding and enrichment.
Enduring Understandings:
Aquariums are facilities that replicate the natural environment of a
species or habitat.
Aquariums are responsible for maintaining animal health, educating
public on environmental issues, and promoting conservation of
aquatic biodiversity.
An aquarium’s role is to create habitats and provide enrichments to
create a positive environments for its animals.
Objectives:
Students will advance their knowledge about living organisms and
understand the relevance, purpose and process of scientific
investigations.
Students will explore career opportunities available in aquariums.
Students will understand some functions of the vet services and
diagnostic laboratories at the Georgia Aquarium.
Students will understand the importance of positive reinforcement
in animal training and enrichment.
Georgia Performance Standards
SCSh1. Students will evaluate the importance of curiosity, honesty,
openness, and skepticism in science.
b. Recognize that different explanations often can be given for the same
evidence.
SCSh8. Students will understand important features of the process of
scientific inquiry.
e. The ultimate goal of science is to develop an understanding of the
natural universe which is free of biases.
SZ4 Students will assess how animals interact with their environment
including key adaptations found within animal taxa.
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. Relate animal adaptations, including behaviors, to the ecological roles
played by animals
SZ5 Students will evaluate the relationships between humans and other
animals.
d. Explain how humans can preserve animal diversity in captive
environments with regard to habitat creation, research, animal
enrichment, diet, medical, and captive breeding programs.
Activities:
1. Are Beluga Whales Smart?
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Are Beluga Whales Smart?
Objectives: Students will think critically about common beliefs, determine what is
fact vs. opinion, and develop skill necessary to recognize scientific research as a
resource.
Grades: 9-12
Time Need: Prep 25 min., Classroom 45 min.
Materials:
• Resource List – one per group
• Copies of assigned readings
• Books or access to a library
• Computer with internet access
Background Information:
The Beluga whales are one of the most popular animals at the Georgia Aquarium.
People often ask “Are Beluga whales smart?” The answer to this question is that
scientists really do not know. When browsing the Internet to research beluga
intelligence, over 18,000 results are cited. It is important to question how many of
these sources are based on a scientific study versus the opinions of those who have
interpreted the facts.
Popular belief however is that belugas are intelligent, but how can science test this
hypothesis? We measure human intelligence by using standards like IQ tests, but
even standardized testing for humans in imperfect and methods can be controversial.
Scientists look at many aspects of intelligence, such as size and structure of the brain
in animals verse humans. From there, they have studied learning capabilities,
communication, behavioral complexity and social structures, self-awareness and
comparative cognition of dolphins to humans and other animals.
Procedure:
Part 1
1. Begin by asking your students to close their eyes and to raise their hands only if
they agree with the following statements. Ask them in this order and one at a time.
Record the number of hands raised.
a. Beluga whales are intelligent
b. It is scientific fact that beluga whales are intelligent
2. Share the results with the class.
3. Ask a student who raised a hand for both questions to explain how we know
dolphins are intelligent.
4. Ask another student who did not raise a hand to explain why it is not scientific fact.
Discuss that science is the study of the physical world using systemic observation and
experiments’ to test hypotheses and prove or disprove theories.
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5. Ask the students why they need to keep their eyes closed. Explain that their
answers could have been influenced by the other students in the class.
6. Introduce the word bias and discuss how it can complicate scientific study.
7. Finally, ask your students to define the words fact and opinion. Is the statement
“Beluga whales are intelligent” fact or opinion? The exercise part two will help you
find out.
Part 2
1. From the resources listed, pick two that provide a good overview of beluga
intelligence, one based on scientific study and one sharing more opinions. Make
copies of the excerpts if needed.
2. Divide your class into groups of three or four and give each group the two assigned
readings. Instruct them to answer the following for each source:
a. Does the source list references of scientific studies, popular media or nothing
at all?
b. Is the source tied to valid research institution including colleges, universities,
professional organizations, etc?
c. Does the source include information that appears to be biased?
d. Does the source include information that is anthropomorphic?
e. Write down three statements from the readings that you feel are opinions.
f. Write down three statements from the reading that you feel are scientific
facts. Can you find two additional sources for each fact that give scientific
references?
3. Once the assignment is complete, ask the students to share their answers and
discuss the results. Ask them again if the statement “Beluga whale are intelligent” is a
scientific fact. Hopefully, fewer will raise their hands. Why is it difficult to say the
statement is scientific fact? Discuss the background information. Discuss other
possible ways to test animal intelligence.
Assessment:
Ask the each student to write down three common beliefs about an animal that could
be fact. Ask them to poll at least 10 people on their thoughts on whether or not the
common beliefs are a fact or not and write down the results of the poll. Afterward
have the student research each common belief and write down at least three valid
sources for each that verify whether it is actually based on facts or opinions.
Resources:
Books
Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals by William Perrin, Bernd Wursig, and J.G.M.
Thewissen. (all facts based on scientific research)
Masters of the Ocean Realm; Whales, Dolphins, & Porposies by John heyning. p. 41.
(mostly facts based on scientific research with some opinions shared)
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The Nature Company Guides Whales, Dolphins & Porpoise by Mark Carwardine et. Al.
and Time-Life Books. (some facts based on scientific research with some opinions
shared)
Whale, Dolphin, and Porpoises by Sir Richard Harrison and Dr. M. M. Bryden. (mostly
facts based on scientific research with some opinions shared)
Whales and Dolphins in Question by James Mead and Joy Gold (some facts based on
scientific research with some opinions shared)
Web sites
http://www.ammpa.org/faqs.html#4
Brief overview and great comprehensive information on whales
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetacean_intelligence
Overview with multiple sources both scientific and popular media
http://www.experiencefestival.com/beluga_whale_-_taxonomy_and_evolution
http://www.experiencefestival.com/whale-whale_intelligence
Multiple articles from many sources
CREDIT
This activity was adapted from Inquiring Minds Want to Know, Seven Essential
Principles for Ocean Literacy: An Activity Guide for Educators, a resource of Dolphin
Quest. For more information please visit www.dolphinquest.org
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