Kimberly J. Workinger
Objective:
Students will leave the class with an understanding the difference between and an instinct and a behavior
Activity: Break the class into groups of 4. Assign a different animal to each of the members of the group. Have the students act out behaviors that they think are typical of that animal. Be sure to indicate that behaviors are not limited to the noises that an animal might make…..the way it moves, gets its food, finds a mate, passes the time. While the “animal” is acting out its behaviors, the other three members of the group are writing down descriptions of the behavior. If a name can be given to the behavior, panting, for example, team members can name the behavior in their observation notes.
Define Instinct vs. learned behaviors
Which of the behaviors you exhibited where instinctual and which were learned behaviors? If the behavior was learned, where did the animal learn that behavior? What purpose does that behavior serve for the animal?