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Understanding the Language of Animals |
For this lesson, teachers will need:
• Computer with Internet access
• The Naked Ape by Desmond Morris (optional)
1. Ask students if they are familiar with the term body language.
If they are not, introduce it at this point, mentioning the term
"nonverbal communication" as well.
2. Encourage your students to contribute examples of body language—gestures
and facial expressions that communicate ideas and feelings without
the use of words.
3. Invite students to note any cultural differences of which they
are aware in the use of body language. For example, if any students
come from Greek families, they might share with the class that many
Greek people use an upward head nod to indicate “no”
rather than a side-to-side head shake.
4. Familiarize your students with Desmond Morris’s book The
Naked Ape, telling them that Morris is a noted zoologist, who has
written many fascinating books (including Dog watching and Cat watching,
for those interested in analyses of nonhuman behavior).
5. Have students research Morris on the Internet to find out more
about his work, or inform them that in The Naked Ape Morris analyzes
human behavior, especially the way humans communicate nonverbally.
6. Organize your class into groups or pairs. Ask them to use a strategy
similar to Morris’s by stationing themselves in a selected
location to observe human body language.
7. Have each group select a location in which to “people watch.”
Students should consider locations such as shopping malls, parks,
museums, the school cafeteria, and places where social functions
or sports events will be taking place. Remind students that their
criteria for a location should include accessibility, the opportunity
to remain unobtrusive, and appropriateness. Students should be able
to position themselves so that they can observe people communicating
and interacting without hearing their conversations or intruding
on the privacy of others.
8. Have students submit their locations for your approval before
making their final decisions.
9. Once each group has selected an approved location, have the groups
do their observing as a homework assignment. Concentrating on nonverbal
communication, they should record all gestures, postures, and facial
expressions they observe for a 15-minute period, noting the frequency
of each.
10. Have students write up summaries of their observations, accompanied
by interpretations. What type of interaction might have been going
on between the individuals observed? How might the individuals have
been related? Did one seem dominant in the relationship?
11. Have groups share their summaries and interpretations in class.
Adaptations for Older Students:
Have students read the book The Naked Ape, by Desmond Morris, and
review it in writing.
1. What anatomical differences set man apart from other primates?
2. What methodology does Desmond Morris use to collect data on human
behavior?
3. What are some of the problems an observer encounters while studying
and interpreting human behavior?
You can evaluate your students on their summaries and interpretations
using the following three-point rubric:
Three points: summaries clear and well written; interpretations
well reasoned and supported by observations
Two points: summaries adequate; interpretations vague and lacking
in support
One point: summaries unclear and poorly written; interpretations
vague and lacking in support
You can ask your students to contribute to the assessment rubric
by determining a minimum number of observations to be included in
each summary.
Animal Watching
Repeat the “People Watching” activity at a zoo, observing
nonhuman primates (apes and monkeys) instead of human beings.
A Kiss Is Still a Kiss . . . or Is It?
The origins of gestures may go back thousands of years, and a gesture
may change in meaning as it is passed from one generation to the
next. Have each student research a gesture he or she chooses and
report to the class on the origins of that gesture. Is the gesture
unique to one culture? Are there variations on the gesture? Does
the same gesture have a different meaning in another geographic
region? Is the gesture universally understood? Here are some possible
ideas:
Kissing
Power grip
Smiling
Yes/no gestures
Head gestures (shaking, tossing, wobbling, nodding)
Repelling gestures
Inviting gestures
Readings:
Bodytalk: The Meaning of Human Gestures
Desmond Morris, Crown, 1995
Desmond Morris' most recent work explains in detail his conclusions
about the meaning of human gestures. The book review journal "Booklist"
describes this as an appropriate adult book for young adults.
Body Language: An Introduction to Non-Verbal Communication
[video recording]
Stage Fright Productions, Learning Seed, 1993
To become expert communicators, high school students and adults
can master the instructions for gestures, signals, eye contact,
posture and control of personal space that are demonstrated in this
videotape.
The Human Face: Emotions, Identities and Masks [video
recording]
Dane Archer, University of California Extension Center for Media,
1996
What and how our face, especially our eyes, reveal about our individual
identity, and how others understand our identity and determine our
attractiveness, is demonstrated in this videocassette.
"Hands That Speak Volumes"
Savitry Nair and Desmond Morris, UNESCO Courier, September 1993
In Desmond Morris' case study of the special role of hand gestures,
or "Mudra," in Indian culture, he and his colleague describe
the unique spiritual interpretations applied to this type of nonverbal
communication in India.
Online Social Psychology Studies
Introduces students to the world of social science research, and
highlights the power of the Internet as a vehicle for gathering
information.
Non-Verbal Communication
Designed for the businessman or tourist visiting Japan. Has some
interesting details concerning gestures and non verbal communication.
Animated American Sign Language
Have students learn how to sign their name and construct simple
sentences. Students of all ages will improvise signs to make their
meaning clearer.
Exploring Nonverbal Communication
Concise and interactive introduction to the topic of nonverbal communication.
Research into Nonverbal Communication
For advanced level science and social studies students, this site
demonstrates how researchers approach the study of nonverbal communication.
Click on any of the vocabulary words below to hear them pronounced
and used in a sentence.
Definition: Any of an order (Primates) of mammals comprising humans,
apes, monkeys, and related forms (as lemurs and tarsiers).
Context: Physically the human is a puny primate.
zoologist
Definition: A scientist who studies the branch of biology concerned
with the classification and the properties and vital phenomena of
animals.
Context: I'm a zoologist.
gesticulating
Definition: Making gestures, especially when speaking.
Context: There were two men gesticulating in a particular way.
body language
Definition: The gestures, movements, and mannerisms by which a person
or animal communicates with others.
Context: I introduced people to the fascinating study of human body
language.
egalitarian
Definition: Adhering to a social philosophy advocating the removal
of inequalities among people.
Context: The essential feature of handshaking is that it is an egalitarian
act.
This lesson plan may be used to address the academic standards listed
below. These standards are drawn from Content Knowledge: A Compendium
of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education: 2nd Edition and
have been provided courtesy of the Mid-continent Research for Education
and Learning in Aurora, Colorado.
Grade level: 6-8
Subject area: behavioral studies
Standard:
Understands that group and cultural influences contribute to human
development, identity, and behavior.
Benchmarks:
Understands that each culture has distinctive patterns of behavior
that are usually practiced by most of the people who grow up in
it.
Grade level: 6-8
Subject area: behavioral studies
Standard:
Understands various meanings of social group, general implications
of group membership, and different ways that groups function.
Benchmarks:
Understands that a large society may be made up of many groups,
and these groups may contain many distinctly different subcultures
(e.g., associated with region, ethnic origin, social class, interests,
values).
Grade level: 6-8
Subject area: behavioral studies
Standard:
Understands that interactions among learning, inheritance, and physical
development affect human behavior.
Benchmarks:
Knows that some animal species are limited to a repertoire of genetically
determined behaviors and others have more complex brains and can
learn a wide variety of behaviors.
Grade level: 6-8
Subject area: behavioral studies
Standard:
Understands conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among individuals,
groups, and institutions.
Benchmarks:
Understands how role, status, and social class may affect interactions
of individuals and social groups.