Academic Standards

Reading Objective:

Students will identify steps a scientist used to investigate his idea that elephants call out to each other by name.

Reading Level:

Lexile: 430L; GRL: L

Next Generation Science Standards:

Practice 3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

2-LS4-1: Observe Plants and Animals in Their Habitats

Vocabulary:

rumble, communicate, bonds

Use these questions to check students’ understanding and stimulate discussion:

1. What does Mickey think elephants have?
(names)

2. What can elephant communication sound like?
(It can sound like a low rumble.)

3. Why did Mickey record elephant calls?
(Answers will vary.)

4. What happened when Mickey played a call back for an elephant?
(Answers will vary.)

Go online to print or project the Reading Checkpoint.

Elephants have the biggest brains of any land mammal.
An elephant knows every member of its herd, or big family group. It can recognize up to 30 other elephants by sight and smell.
Elephants form close friendships. They help and comfort each other when they’re sad.

Materials: Pencils, clipboards, copies of the skill sheet

Overview: Students explore the ways in which we humans succeed or fail at communicating to groups of people by playing the telephone game.

Directions:

Remind students they read about a scientist who thinks elephants have names they use to communicate with other members of their group.
Ask: What challenges do people face trying to communicate in a group? They’ll explore this playing the telephone game.
Pass out skill sheets. Divide kids into small groups and send them to workstations.
Each group chooses a short message.
A representative from each group whispers its message to the next group, asking them to pass it on. (Or the class can sit in a circle. Each group takes a turn starting the game with its message.)
When messages have circled the class, have someone say them aloud. Did they change? Record results on the skill sheets.

Do Elephants Have Names?