Next of Kin - A Compassionate, Interdisciplinary Science Curriculum
"1+1=Fun?"

Tatu

This sample lesson is also available as a printable PDF file.

Grade level: 2-5

Subject Area: Science, Communication

Time Needed: at least 45-60 minutes

Objectives: To increase student understanding of the use of sign language and how Washoe and her family have used sign language to describe objects for which they did not already have a sign for.

Materials: ASL Dictionaries (enough for groups of four)

Activity:

Review with students the information they learned from the lesson Can We Talk? (why sign language complements the nature of chimpanzees, etc.)

Tell students, "Chimpanzees that use sign language have also put signs together to identify things or describe events."

Have students guess what they think the following signs stand for:
(You may want to SAY the words and SIGN them to the class.)

SWEET-TREE (Christmas tree)
BIRD-MEAT (Turkey)
WATER-BIRD (Swan)
CRY-HURT-FOOD (Radish)
NUT-BERRY-PAPER (Fruit leather)
FRUIT-BLANKET (Fruit leather)
CRACKER-APPLE (Dried apples)
NUT-BERRY (Plums)
CANDY-BANANA (Baby Ruth candy bar)
ROCK-NUT-FOOD (Brazil nuts)
DRINK-FRUIT (Watermelon)
SMELL-FRUIT (Oranges or citrus fruit)

After identifying some of the objects listed above, ask students why they think a chimpanzee would use these signs as identifiers?

Do they make sense once you know what they are used to identify?

Assignment:

Divide students into groups of four and give each group an ASL Dictionary.

Have the groups come up with five objects (or have a list developed by teacher ahead of time) and then have them brainstorm new identifying signs for those words using the ASL Dictionaries.

Once the groups have completed this task, have the groups SIGN and SPEAK their new identifying signs to the class. Have other students guess what words they are describing!

+


= Turkey (bird meat)

Try another sample lesson: MAKING MASKS

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