A Gorilla`s Day - The Great Gorillas Project

The Great Gorillas Project
Education Pack
Image courtesy of Bristol Zoo
in partnership with
Gorillas are Great!
Gorillas are some of our
closest relatives amongst
living primates and that’s
why we have chosen
them to help us mark the
90th anniversary of the
founding of Paignton Zoo.
Highly threatened in Africa they are now an integral
part of the Zoo’s animal collection and we want to
raise awareness of their plight. With our partners
across South Devon we also want to mark the Zoo’s
part in the history and development of our beautiful
bay. We want to show how science and art can come
together to create great beauty and inspire the
imaginations of adults and children alike. We also
want to raise funds to help some of our wild relatives
survive into the future. We hope you will join in the
fun, perhaps even paint a gorilla of your own!
Simon Tonge
Executive Director,
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park
Celebration
2013 sees Paignton Zoo’s 90th anniversary and
we want to do more than celebrate. In those 90
years we have achieved great things in conservation
and education, and we want to use this landmark
occasion to do even more.
Conservation
We have invested millions of pounds in conservation
work spanning the globe, protecting local habitats,
breeding and releasing species back into the wild
and working on conservation programmes globally.
And we have achieved great things.
Locally, we saved Slapton Ley from development and
now manage it as a National Nature Reserve helping
to protect numerous rare species and habitats.
We have bred several species for reintroduction
including the golden lion tamarin, Socorro dove,
dormouse, water vole and cirl bunting. Through
our global work, centred in Africa, we have helped
to protect black and white rhino in Zimbabwe,
supported the reintroduction of black rhino to
Malawi where they had become extinct since the
1980s, together with the Kenyan Wildlife Service we
confirmed the existence of a previously unknown
population of the Critically Endangered Aders’
duiker, and we continue to support environmental
education in the largely neglected Omo Forest
in Nigeria.
Collaboration
All of what we have achieved over the last 90 years
could not have been done alone. Working with
partners, such as NGOs, local government, education
authorities, corporate supporters and other zoos
and charities has really helped us to make a
difference.
We are proud to be working with Torbay Council,
Torbay Town Centres Company, the English Riviera
Tourism Company, Exeter City Council and Wild in
Art on this inspiring project, and with your help
together we can make it a success.
2
Welcome on board!
As well as guidance on designing and producing
your Great Gorilla, this pack offers ideas for activities
at school and at the Zoo. All of the school activities
can be delivered by our Education Team at the Zoo
too, as well as a number of related sessions which
link to this topic. These include:
Primary:
•
•
•
•
•
Teeth and Eating
Adaptation
Remarkable Rainforests
African Safari
Endangered Animals, Zoos and Conservation
Good luck and very best wishes
Lisa Stroud
Head of Education
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park
tesy of Brist
ol Zoo
Your gorilla sculpture has been designed and
produced by Wild in Art, a dynamic and wellrespected arts, events and education company.
Wild in Art have staged numerous community art
events like The Great Gorillas Project, in the UK and
internationally, focusing on many different animals
– both real and imagined! Elephants in Norwich,
Lions in Southampton, Penguins in Liverpool and
Superdragons in Newport, to name a few. For more
information on previous events go to www.wildinart.
co.uk
We are pleased that you have chosen to take
part in this wonderful event and wish you
every success in creating your gorilla. We look
forward to receiving your school’s submission form
(to be found at the back of this pack), once your
design has been decided, and will be on hand over
the coming months if you need support from our
team of Education Officers, would like a member of
our Education Team to run an outreach session at
your school* or simply want to keep us up to date
with your Great Gorilla experience!
Image cour
The Great Gorillas Schools Programme is an
important part of The Great Gorillas Project as it
gives young people and their schools the chance
to engage with a fantastic community event while
also meeting curriculum needs far beyond art.
The Great Gorillas Project offers a great
opportunity to bring many subjects to life!
Secondary:
•
•
•
•
•
Conservation Role of Zoos
Rainforests
Animal Rights
Training and Enrichment
Skeletons and Movement
More details can be found in leaflets linked to the
primary and secondary pages of our website: www.
paigntonzoo.org.uk/learning-zone/formal-education/
*The Great Gorillas Schools Programme is subsidised, so a half day (3 hour) visit from one of our Education Officers
costs only £100 and includes no travel expenses.
3
Timetable
November 2012
The Great Gorilla Project is announced to schools
Early January 2013
Early January 2013….Schools confirm their participation*
Image courtesy
of Bristol Zoo
January 2013
Delivery of education packs commences
June 2013
Decorated gorillas completed and gorilla trail finalised
End July 2013
Schools deliver their gorillas to agreed display sites
3rd August – 13th October 2013
Great Gorillas Trail
Autumn half-term 2013
Schools’ gorillas displayed at Babbacombe
Model Village before returning to their schools
Image courtesy
of Bristol Zoo
*Gorilla sculptures will be delivered to your school up to 6 weeks following receipt of your order.
Orders can be made any time before the end of May 2013
4
Design your Gorilla
Your Gorilla sculpture
Each Gorilla is made of lightweight fire-resistant
fibre-glass. The surface of your sculpture has been
made ‘paint-ready’ by the manufacturer and, unless
you wish to make alterations to our finished design,
you will not need to reapply a primer. The Gorilla
sculpture is designed to be stable and free standing
but to ensure the safety of everyone involved please
ensure that there is adult supervision throughout
the creative process.
Please consider the materials you use for your
design carefully. Designs may range from the use
of solid acrylic colours to more elaborate designs
using, for example, glitter, coloured foam sheets,
recycled materials and mosaic. Let your imagination
run wild but please ensure that all materials used
are non-hazardous, suitable for use by children and
adhered to your sculpture securely.
To finish the design we recommend the person
responsible for co-ordinating the project should
inspect the sculpture to ensure that all paintwork
is dry and any additional fixtures are securely
fastened.
To fix the artwork we recommend that an adult
finishes the sculpture with two topcoats of overvarnish. If you have ordered Wild in Art’s CleanART
paint pack you will find suitable paints, varnish and
application instructions inside the box.
Prior to transportation please ensure your sculpture
is wrapped securely in bubble wrap, or an
alternative protective material, and labelled clearly
with the name and address of your school.
During the lifetime of the exhibition the Great
Gorillas team should be kept informed of any
necessary touch-ups to make sure that your
sculpture remains in good condition.
CONTACT
For more information on
suitable painting materials and
varnish, or to reorder CleanART
paints please contact:
[email protected]
5
Contents
Paignton Zoo Western Lowland Gorilla Facts
Page 7
Paignton Zoo Gorilla Who’s Who
Page 8
Gorilla Species Background
Page 10
Mobile Phone Recycling poster
Page 11
Book a Visit to See Our Gorillas!
Page 12
Ideas for Reception Children
Page 13
Primary Topic Links
Page 14
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 1:
Year 1 A Gorilla’s Dinner
Page 16
Gorillas are Nosey
Page 17
Gorillas in the Wild
Page 18
Gorillas in the Zoo
Page 19
Year 2
Gorilla Theatre
Page 20
What do Gorillas eat?
Page 21
Kambuka goes to London
Page 22
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 2:
6
Year 3/4
A Gorilla’s Day
Page 23
Year 3/4
Gorilla’s Day Out
Page 24
Year 3/4
Gorillas’ Teatime Treats
Page 25
Year 3/4/5/6 Galvinating Gorillas
Page 26
Year 5/6
Gorilla Adventure
Page 27
Secondary Topic Links
Page 28
Activities for Key Stages 3/4
Page 29
Diet Sheet – Western Lowland Gorilla Silverback
Page 30
Submission Form
Page 31
Evaluation Form
Page 33
Notes
Page 34
Paignton Zoo Western
Lowland Gorilla Facts
Latin Name: Gorilla gorilla gorilla
Class: Mammals
Order: Primates
Family: Pongidae
IUCN status: critically endangered.
Habitat Tropical forest.
Diet in the wild:
Leaves, herbs, stems and fruit.
Interesting Fact:
The adult male gorilla protects his family group
while the females keep the family together. When
two male group leaders meet, they try to scare
each other off by beating their chests, hooting,
barking, roaring and tearing up plants and trees.
Threats:
Hunting and war, pet trade, habitat destruction,
human diseases such as Ebola.
Behaviour:
Conservation:
Gorillas live and travel together in groups. An
average family is made up of adult females, 4 5 offspring of different ages and an adult male
called the ‘silverback’ because of his silvery white
Big game hunting of gorillas is banned and it
is illegal to capture them live and sell them.
Conservation education programmes
and ecotourism are being developed
to encourage protection of
gorillas within reserves.
There is a European
Endangered species
Programme (EEP) for this
species of gorilla.
saddle.
Breeding:
Usually a single youngster is born after 250 - 270
days (8 - 9 months).
Paignton Zoo Gorilla fact file:
Names of the animals
in the Zoo:
Why are the gorillas at the Zoo all
boys?
Pertinax, Kivu, Kiondo,
N’dowe, Matadi.
The gorillas at Paignton Zoo are all males. This is
quite unique as most Zoos have a group of females
and youngsters and a silverback male. Because the
Zoo is part of the European Endangered Species
breeding Programme (EEP), other Zoos send young
male gorillas to us until they are big enough to
become silverbacks then they will be sent to a
different Zoo in the breeding programme to look
after their own family of females. We call our group
of boy gorillas a ‘bachelor group’. Paignton Zoo was
one of the first Zoos to set up a bachelor group in
Europe. Many of our gorillas come from Stuttgart
Zoo in Germany as this is the official nursery for
gorillas that need to be hand raised as part of the
EEP breeding programme.
Diet at the Zoo:
Every day an adult male gorilla
in the zoo eats:
10 carrots, 5 peppers, 3 leeks,
5 tomatoes, 1 cucumber, 1
parsnip, 1 lettuce, 1 cabbage.
Occasional treats: 20 grapes,
popcorn and honey.
The gorillas at the Zoo mostly
eat vegetables as there is so
much sugar in farmed fruit that
it would rot their teeth!
7
Paignton Zoo Gorilla
Who’s Who:
Name: Pertinax
Born: 13th April 1982.
art Zoo,
ily
fam
Germany. Moved to a
Came to Paignton Zoo
o.
tw
s
wa
Zoo when he
in 1997.
– oldest of the
Personality: Silverback p. Usually very
grou
gorillas and boss of the
ers get away with a
oth
laid back and lets the
out when they get
lot, but soon sorts them
e.
too rowdy or misbehav
ttg
From: Hand raised at Stu group at Cologne
Likes: Sweet tooth – loves
especially grapes.
fruit,
the gorillas. Very
es: Biggest of all
Distinguishing featur
grey back.
e domed head. Silvery-
muscly and strong. Larg
Name: Kivu
Born: 27th November 2002. 3rd eldest.
From: Born at Barcelona Zoo. Handraised at Stuttgart.
Personality: Very cheeky and smart.
Loves people – everyone’s friend
and
knows how to get what he wants!
Generally quite happy and laid bac
k.
Confident, playful and outgoing.
Likes: Hanging out with half-brother
Kiondo. Likes to fill up yoghurt pot
s with
water and drink out of them like a
cup!
Distinguishing features: Very han
dsome! Heart shaped nose.
8
Name: Kiondo
Born: 11th October
2002. Full brother to
N’Dowe, half brother
to Kivu.
From: Born at
Name: Matadi
Barcelona Zoo but hand
raised at Stuttgart Zoo,
Germany.
Born: 23rd March
2003.
Personality: 2nd
From: Born at
Twycross Zoo and
raised in a family
group. Came to
Paignton Zoo in
February 2010.
eldest of the gorillas
and rather bossy! Loves
attention. Very cheeky
and can be quite naughty
– often tries Pertinax’s patience! Will push the others out
of the way if he wants something!
Personality:
Likes: Playing with cardboard boxes. Prefers to sit on
Confident. Can be
quite grumpy and
stand-offish at times.
them, rather than sitting on the floor!
Dislikes: Mouli (long vegetable, tastes a bit like
radish). Can get grumpy with N’dowe sometimes.
Likes: Wrestling with best
mate N’Dowe. Loves chewing on bro
wse (leaves, twigs
and branches).
Distinguishing features: Pointy head and
chimp-like face. Quite grey in colour – lightest of the
gorillas.
Dislikes: Being around keepers too mu
ch, prefers to
be on his own or with the other gor
illas.
Distingu
ishing features: Quite small. Round
face. Much darker in colour than
the other gorillas.
Longer hair.
vay)
ronounced En-do-
Name: N’Dowe (p
08. Full brother to
ber 20
Born: 22nd Septemto Kivu. Youngest of the group.
her
Kiondo, half-brot
ised at
ona Zoo. Hand ra
el
From: Born at Barc ignton in November 2008.
Pa
Stuttgart. Came to
of the
gest and smallest
un
Yo
:
y
lit
a
n
o
Pers
der. Quite
of the pecking or
wants.
group and bottom
w
t
mb to ge hat he
du
s
ay
pl
n
te
of
t
smart bu
the keepers.
fectionate towards
Very gentle and af
y food, such as
d Matadi. Likes dr
en
fri
st
Be
s:
e
k
Li
e and popcorn.
special biscuits, ric
the bottom
e youngest he is
th
is
he
As
s:
e
to scream
Dislik
on him he tends
ck
pi
rs
he
ot
n
he
der. W
the others and
of the pecking or
ore confident with
m
g
in
m
co
be
’s
back, but he
rather than fight
ore.
up for himself m
. Looks similar
learning to stand
oup. Brown head
gr
e
th
of
st
le
al
s: Sm
Distinguishing
feature
to Kivu.
9
Gorilla Species Background:
Western lowland gorilla distribution map
AFRICA
There are 2 different gorilla species:
The Western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) which lives in
western and central Africa, and the Eastern gorilla
which lives in Uganda, Democratic Republic of
Congo and Western Rwanda.
Each species is then divided into 2 subspecies. The
Western gorilla includes the Western lowland gorilla
(Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and the Cross River gorilla
(Gorilla gorilla diehli). The Eastern gorilla includes
the Eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei graver)
and the Mountain gorilla of the Virungas (Gorilla
beringei beringei). The gorillas at Paignton Zoo are
all Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla).
They are all threatened in the wild by habitat
destruction and fragmentation, hunting and
diseases and as such are endangered or critically
endangered, according to the International Union
for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened
Species.
10
Cross River gorillas live in Africa, on the border
between Nigeria and Cameroon, covering an area
of around 3,000 square miles. They are classified
as one of the world’s most endangered primates as
it has been estimated there are only around 250
to 300 left. As they are very wary of humans and
live in very dense, mountainous habitat it has been
very difficult to get an accurate count of exactly how
many gorillas there are.
In Nigeria the majority of the G. g. diehli population
occurs within formally protected areas (Cross River
National Park and Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary),
but in Cameroon none of the population is as yet
protected in this way (although two areas are in
process of establishment: Takamanda National Park
and Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary).
The gorillas urgently need their habitat protecting
and hunting to be controlled as there are so few of
them left that any damage would have a serious
impact on the population.
Mobile Phone Recycling
11
Book a visit to the Zoo
and see our gorillas in
the flesh!
How to book a
visit to the Zoo
To avoid disappointment
please book education
sessions well in advance.
We particularly recommend
this if you would like to
visit or bring a large group
in May, June or July. For
more information please
complete a booking enquiry
form or telephone our
Education Department on
0844 474 2224, and have
the following information
available:
• A preferred date and at
least 2 or 3 alternative
dates, with approximate
times of arrival and
departure
• Topic(s) for your
session(s) or what you
are working on this
term
• Number of students
and adults attending
and year groups of the
students
• Full school/college
contact details
• Description of any
special needs
12
Ideas for Reception Children
Topics
• Use a book about Gorillas to introduce them to the children. Some of our favourites are :
Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Gorilla by Anthony Browne
Little Beauty by Anthony Browne
Ooo, Ooo, Ooo Gorilla by Lydia Monks
• Have a look at the pictures of Paignton Zoo’s gorillas in the photo pack on our website. See
if the children can see any similarities between themselves and the gorillas. How can they tell
which gorilla is which? How can they tell who is who in their class?
• Can they draw or paint a gorilla? Where is the gorilla’s nose? Eyes? Mouth? Ears? What colour
is a gorilla? You could use paper plates to make gorilla masks for the children to wear. Can
you tell who is who now?
• Gorillas in the wild live in the rainforest, show them our picture of a rainforest and ask the
children what it is like there. You could collect a selection of clothing eg. raincoat, sun hat,
gloves, wellies, umbrella, sun cream, scarf. Ask the children which ones they think they would
need if they were in the rainforest.
• Our gorillas only eat vegetables and have some fruit and popcorn for treats. What sort of
vegetables do the children like? Do they eat vegetables everyday?
• Come and see our gorillas in the Zoo; see what they are eating, how they are climbing and
swinging and playing with each other! Just like children at school!
Resources
Photo pack resources are available at our website: www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/learning-zone
Image cour
tesy of Brist
ol Zoo
13
Primary Topic Links
Science
• Design an enclosure for our gorillas including all the things they would
need from a habitat – shelter, food, enrichment, etc.
• Raise awareness about deforestation and threats to the rainforest; make a
podcast, advert or video; or write an assembly for the whole school.
• Make leaflets, posters and banners to inform and encourage others to
take action.
• Investigate a food chain with other animals that share the gorillas’
rainforest habitat. Identify which are producers and which are
consumers. Compare to another food chain in a contrasting habitat.
Literacy
Creative Writing
• Use descriptive language to describe how a gorilla looks and moves.
• Write the diary of a zoo keeper.
• Look at Henri Rousseau’s painting ‘Exotic Landscape, Fight between Gorilla
and Indian’. What is the story here? http://www.henrirousseau.org/ExoticLandscape,-Fight-between-Gorilla-and-Indian-large.html
• Create a persuasive poster encouraging people to recycle their mobile phones
(and minimise habitat destruction from coltan mining).
Poetry
• Using Word, make a gorilla calligram using language effects and making
decisions about form.
• Write a poem about the gorillas’ rainforest habitat – either a descriptive
poem or a haiku.
Reports and Recounts
• Write an information text or fact file about the different species of gorillas.
• Write a report about Gorilla conservation/ the rainforest habitat / coltan
mining for mobile phones.
History
Research and write about the work of Dian Fossey. Write up as an
information text. Hotseat with someone playing the role of the
primatologist and then interview them.
14
How
could
aspec
this pr
to y
subj
Geography
• Mark on a map where gorillas are found in the wild.
• Find out about rainforest habitats – where are they found? What are they like?
• Found out how much rainforest has been destroyed in Africa/across the world. Draw it
on a map.
• Research Takamanda National Park (home of some of the Cross River Gorillas). Make
a fact sheet about it, or a brochure advertising it as a tourist destination for people
wanting to see gorillas.
• Look at the weather and climate of the rainforest. What are conditions like there?
w you
d link
cts of
roject
your
ject
Art
• Recreate iconic pictures (e.g., Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe,
Edward Munch’s The Scream, replacing the human image with that of a gorilla. Use
paint, collage or digital editing media such as Photoshop. Look at CM Coolidge for
similar examples with humans replaced by dogs).
• Look at Gorilla in the Mist by Joseph Ntensibe. Recreate with block printing in bright
colours over a photocopy of gorillas, using paint over photocopied images or digital
editing media such as Photoshop (linking with ICT).
• A journey through the rainforest. Look at aerial maps – how could various elements
(different trees, mist, water, etc.) be represented through texture? Experiment with
paint, collage or printing techniques.
PE:
• Show video clip of gorillas. Create short dance sequences to music based on
a specific action, then link them together into a longer piece. E.g. travelling,
sitting, foraging, eating, grooming, playing, wrestling, beating chest,
looking aggressive, climbing, swinging, making nests in the trees.
• Think about the changing moods of the animal – quiet, peaceful, reflective,
playful, happy, irritated, annoyed, aggressive. How would their expressions
and body language change? Introduce apparatus like wall bars, ropes,
benches etc. to create a ‘forest’.
D&T
• Design an enclosure for gorillas. Make a diorama of your design.
• Design and make a gorilla with moving parts controlled by
pneumatic systems.
15
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 1
Year 1
A Gorilla’s Dinner
Curriculum
Links
DT
Science
IT
Maths, Number and Measurement
Citizenship – Animals and Us
Gorilla Links
Gorillas are omnivores, they eat mostly plant material including leaves, fruit
and vegetables. Occasionally they eat invertebrates which is why we call them
omnivores and not herbivores.
What you
can do at
school
• Children can paint a paper plate with a picture of their dinner on it. Talk about
the composition of their dinner (meat, veg etc.) Compare this with a gorilla’s
diet, make a huge paper plate and paint the gorilla’s dinner.
• Get together all the veg that the gorilla eats during the day so that the children
can get an idea of the amount of food. Talk to children about the fact that we
don’t give our gorillas much fruit because it gives them tooth decay.
• Make a pictogram or a simple bar chart showing the types of veg gorillas eat
each day, compare it to a fruit and veg pictogram for the whole class.
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Come to the Zoo and see the gorillas and what they are eating. Book a session in
the education centre about gorillas; see the gorilla skull and have a look at the
food they eat. Book a special session to fill some piñatas for our gorillas, we can
give you a piñata recipe to make piñatas at school. You can fill them in the Zoo and
we can take them to the ape centre.
Resources
Every day an adult male gorilla in the zoo eats…
10 carrots,
5 peppers
3 leeks
5 tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 parsnip
1 lettuce
1 cabbage
20 grapes, popcorn and honey
very occasionally for treats.
16
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 1
Year 1
Gorillas are Nosey!
Curriculum
Links
Art
Science
Citizenship – Animals and Us
Gorilla Links
Gorillas all have differently shaped noses! Just like your fingerprints they can be
used to identify individual gorillas.
Our Zoo gorillas all have different and interesting characteristics just like you do.
What you
can do at
school
• Have a look at the profiles of our gorillas; look at the different nose shapes that
help to identify them.
• Ask the children to write their own profiles, take their fingerprints and attach
them to the profile.
• The children can also draw, paint or collage their self-portraits to add to the
profile.
• Why not create a display of children’s profiles on the wall and mix in the ones
of our gorillas.
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Come and see our gorillas and see if the children can identify them from their
‘nose’ pictures.
The children could sketch portraits of the gorillas to add to the gorilla profiles.
Have a look at our gorillas’ behaviour see what they do all day. Can you recognise
some of the personality traits in their profiles.
Resources
Gorilla profiles and nose pictures – www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/learning-zone
Image courtesy
of Bristol Zoo
17
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 1
Year 1
Gorillas in the Wild
Curriculum
Links
D&T
Art
Citizenship – Animals and Us
Gorilla Links
Gorillas live in the rainforests of West Africa. They eat a wide variety of things
including invertebrates and most parts of a plant including leaves and fruit. They
don’t eat meat.
They move around the forest as a family group, they are led by an adult male
silverback.
At night they make a nest to sleep in, sometimes in trees, sometimes on the
ground.
What you
can do at
school
• Talk to children about the rainforest and show them some photographs.
• Ask them to design their own rainforest where gorillas might like to live.
Include things that gorillas would like to eat, places for them to sleep, trees for
them to play in.
• Talk to the children about what gorillas might need in the Zoo to keep them
happy and busy. Could they design a zoo enclosure for gorillas with things that
they could use for playing, nest building and eating?
• As an extension children could make a gorilla habitat or enclosure as a diorama
using a cardboard box and various art and craft materials.
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Visit our gorillas in the zoo and have a look the different materials we use to make
the play areas for the gorillas. Can you see fireman’s hoses? Christmas trees? Can
you spot any of the gorillas’ food? We don’t give them much fruit in the zoo
because it is bad for their teeth.
If you arrange it in advance, we can organise a time for your children to give some
toys to the gorillas.
Resources
Pictures of the rainforest.
• www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/learning-zone
• www.arkive.org/western-gorilla/gorilla-gorilla/
Cardboard boxes and art and craft materials.
18
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 1
Year 1
Gorillas in the Zoo
Curriculum
Links
Literacy. Stories in familiar settings.
Recounts
Citizenship – Animals and Us
Gorilla Links
Here in the Zoo we have five male gorillas. Their profiles are part of this gorilla
pack.
Pertinax is our big silverback who is the leader of the group.
Our gorillas are part of a European breeding programme which means that when
they are mature they are usually moved to other zoos to breed. Kambuka has
recently left for London Zoo.
What you
can do at
school
• Talk to the children about words they could use to describe both the gorillas
and the Zoo.
• Use photos of the Zoo and possibly the children’s own trip to the Zoo to
prompt them.
• From their list of words help them to make sentences which could be used in
their own story about the gorillas at the zoo.
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Come and see our gorillas and ask the children to think of describing words while
they are looking at them.
Talk about verbs they can use to describe what the gorillas are doing.
Use the words and photos you take in the above activities back at school.
Resources
Photos from your trip to the zoo.
Photo pack resources are available at our website:
www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/learning-zone
19
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 1
Year 2
Gorilla Theatre
Curriculum
Links
Citizenship – Animals and Us
DT
IT
Art
Literacy – Stories with familiar settings
Gorilla Links
Wild gorillas live in the rainforest of West Africa. They live on the ground and in
trees and eat mostly plant material.
In the Zoo our gorillas have a big enclosure which includes an inside den, some
off show dens that the public can’t see, where the gorillas can get away and be on
their own, and a whole island just for them!
They have lots of things to climb and swing on like they would in the wild.
What you
can do at
school
• Have a go at designing and making a gorilla home. Either like their enclosure
in the Zoo or a rainforest. You can use a cardboard box with the side cut out
to make a ‘diorama’. Use lots of scraps of sugar paper and fabrics. You might
need string to copy the ropes in the Zoo enclosure.
• Have a go at making some finger puppet gorillas or painting fingers with face
paints to make gorillas that you can use to act out a gorilla story in front of
your diorama.
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Have a look at the gorilla enclosure, Reptile Tropics and Crocodile Swamp at the
Zoo. The gorilla enclosure will give you ideas for a zoo enclosure diorama and
Reptile Tropics and Crocodile Swamp will give you rainforest ideas. Look at the
plant shapes and the size and shape of the leaves. We also have bananas and coffee
growing in Reptile Tropics and papayas in Crocodile Swamp.
Resources
Have a look at lots of pictures of the rainforest and talk about the plants and maybe
the other animals there.
Photo pack resources are available at our website:
www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/learning-zone
Look at www.arkive.org/western-gorilla/gorilla-gorilla/
Image courtesy of Bristol Zoo
20
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 1
Year 2
What do Gorillas eat?
Curriculum
Links
Curriculum Links
Science
IT
Maths – handling data
Gorilla Links
Our gorillas are vegetarians and they eat mostly vegetables. You might think that
they prefer fruit and they do but it’s bad for their teeth. Fruit grown for human
consumption contains much more sugar than fruit which grows naturally in the
rainforest.
What you
can do at
school
• Ask children to write or draw a list of what they eat every day. They could draw
it on a paper plate. Compare this with what our gorillas eat using the diet list
below.
• Draw simple bar charts of the amounts of different vegetables that gorillas eat.
Discuss with the children the fact that fruit makes gorillas’ teeth bad and that
gorillas don’t brush their teeth. It’s not easy taking a gorilla to the dentist!
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Come to the Zoo and see the gorillas and what they are eating. Book a session in
the Education Centre about gorillas; see the gorilla skull and have a look at the
food they eat. Book a special session to fill some piñatas for our gorillas. We can
give you a piñata recipe to make piñatas at school. You can fill them in the zoo and
we can take them to the ape centre.
Resources
Every day an adult male gorilla in the zoo eats….
10 carrots,
5 peppers
3 leeks
5 tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 parsnip
1 lettuce
1 cabbage
20 grapes, popcorn and honey very occasionally
for treats.
Photo of Pertinax at the dentist. (In photopack of
resources www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/learning-zone)
21
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 1
Year 2
Kambuka goes to London
Curriculum
Links
Literacy – stories with familiar settings
Citizenship – Animals and Us
Moving on
IT
Gorilla Links
Kambuka, one of our gorillas, has recently moved to London Zoo to meet some
females!
He had reached maturity and was starting to challenge the leader of our all male
group, Pertinax. Kambuka had to be kept separate from the other gorillas for a
while because of this.
Before going to London he had a full health check from our vet team as they
needed to check for any signs of disease and parasites.
Kambuka went to London in a big crate on a lorry. He was not sedated for the
journey as our keepers had got him used to the crate before he went and he was
very comfortable in it.
What you
can do at
school
• Use the example of Kambuka going to London as the basis for a story or a nonchronological report.
• Ask the children how Kambuka might feel and how they might feel in a similar
situation, ie moving to a new school or suddenly changing family. Ask them to
write a story of his move as if they were Kambuka.
• Use the internet to find more information about gorillas. Write a report about
his move, imagine the keepers getting him used to his crate, the journey on the
lorry and the arrival at London Zoo with different enclosures and keepers to
get to know.
22
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Come and see our gorillas and find out how they live, see
what they eat and think about what Kambuka would have
needed on his journey to London.
Resources
www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/learning-zone
You could go to London Zoo and see Kambuka!
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 2
Year 3/4
A Gorilla’s Day
Curriculum
Links
IT
Art
Science
Maths – Handling Data
Gorilla Links
Gorillas in the wild mostly do the same thing every day. Have a look at the passage
in the resources section. This tells you how much of their time they spend doing
different things.
Gorillas spend their days eating, resting and playing. They enjoy social interaction
and because our gorillas are all ‘boys’ they like to do lots of play fighting.
What you
can do at
school
• From the passage below ask children to add up the number of hours that
gorillas are awake. Make a pictogram or bar chart of the different things gorillas
do each day.
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Come and see our gorillas and have a look at what they are doing. We can give you
a simple ethogram so that children can monitor their behaviour and gather their
own data to use later at school.
Resources
In the Virunga mountains, gorillas usually leave their sleeping sites when the sun
rises at around 6am. However, if it is a cold, cloudy day they often stay in their nests
for a bit longer. They like to forage for things to eat first thing in the morning and
during the afternoon.
• Use the internet to look for pictures of gorillas doing different things. Make a
timeline of pictures to show what gorillas are doing and how long for. Children
could do this using an IT package and copying and pasting pictures.
Use view finder to sketch and photograph the gorillas and use this in your work back
at school. Why not write a simple report of your findings with photos and sketches
to go along with it.
The Mountain gorillas spend about 6 hours each day eating and rest for around
4 hours in total. They spend about 1 hour of their time moving from one place to
another and interact socially (grooming and playing with each other) for 1 hour.
Their midday rest tends to be the best time for the young gorillas to play together,
while the adults rest.
23
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 2
Year 3/4
Gorilla’s Day Out
24
Curriculum
Links
Literacy – Creative Writing
Gorilla Links
All our gorillas have very individual personalities and behaviour. They have
different likes and dislikes, just like us. Read the gorilla profiles in this pack and
find out about their characters.
What you
can do at
school
• Which gorilla is your favourite? What do you like about them?
• Read Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathman. What is the gorilla thinking and
feeling during various stages of the story? How does the keeper feel when he
discovers the animals are all out?
• Imagine one of our gorillas sneaked out of the Zoo like the gorilla in the book.
How did he escape? Where do you think he would go? What would he get up
to?
• Write diary entry or a story in the first person about what he did that day,
using the information you know about his character from the profile.
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Come to the Zoo and see if you can work out which gorilla is which, using the
information in their profile. Imagine what they might be thinking and feeling.
Watch how they behave with each other and which ones are best friends.
Take a look at their enclosure. There are lots of things for the gorillas to eat, play
with and explore. If you were one of the gorillas what would you like to do there?
Explore the Zoo and imagine where the gorillas would go and what they might do
on their day out.
Resources
Gorilla profiles (in this pack).
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 2
Year 3/4
Gorillas’ Teatime Treats
Curriculum
Links
Literacy – Writing Instructions.
Also links with Citizenship – Animals and Us.
Gorilla Links
In the wild, gorillas are omnivores. The majority of their diet
is made up of leaves, herbs, stems and fruit but sometimes
also invertebrates like ants.
Our gorillas are vegetarians and eat mostly vegetables. They
also like fruit but aren’t allowed to have too much because
the sugar rots their teeth! This is because the fruit that is
grown for humans to eat contains much more sugar than the
fruit that grows naturally in the rainforest.
We also give our gorillas piñatas (papier mâché balls filled
with shredded paper and food) to play with. They like finding
the treats inside and also chewing the paper.
What you
can do at
school
Imagine you are a keeper. Write instructions for the other
keepers about how to make dinner for the gorillas while
you’re on holiday. The instructions can either be based on the
actual diet of our gorillas here at the Zoo or children can use
their imaginations and be as wacky as they like!
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Visit the Zoo and have a session making piñatas for our
gorillas. Children can then write up the instructions for these
afterwards.
If you can make a second visit…
After several days, when the papier mâché has dried out,
the children can decorate the piñatas and watch them being
given to the gorillas.
Alternatively, we can give you a piñata recipe to make piñatas
at school. You can fill them in the zoo and we can take them
to the ape centre.
Resources
On average, every day at our Zoo each gorilla eats around…
10 carrots
1 cucumber
5 peppers
1 parsnip
3 leeks
1 lettuce
5 tomatoes
1 cabbage
Sometimes for variety they also have:
Kohl rabi
Squash
Fennel
Mouli
Celery
Chickory
Herbs like basil and rosemary
And as a special treat, 20 grapes, popcorn and honey.
25
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 2
Year 3/4/5/6
Gallivanting Gorillas
Curriculum
Links
PE Dance 6:
a. create and perform dances using a range of movement patterns, including those
from different times, places and cultures
b. respond to a range of stimuli and accompaniment.
Cross curricular links: Science & Music
Gorilla Links
Gorillas are ground dwelling and usually knuckle-walk using all fours (quadrupedal).
They sometimes walk short distances on two legs when carrying things or in
defensive situations. Their day is mostly spent resting, travelling or feeding. Gorillas
also make nests for sleeping from leaves and branches, either on the ground or low
in the trees.
What you
can do at
school
• Watch video clips of gorillas moving, walking and interacting. How do gorillas
move (usually on all fours, walking on the knuckles of their hands)? How is it
different to us? Discuss why they might be different.
• Identify some key gorilla movements and actions (e.g. travelling, sitting,
foraging for food, eating, grooming, playing, wrestling, posturing, beating
chest, climbing, swinging, making sleeping nests). Use varied movements (e.g.
rolls) to demonstrate different actions.
• Using suitable music as a stimulus, link actions to create short sequences. Split
children into small groups with some actions performed individually and some
showing interactions with others.
• Think about the changing moods of the gorillas (quiet, peaceful, reflective,
playful, mischievous, happy, irritated, angry, aggressive, etc.). How would their
expressions and body language change? Try to incorporate these with the
actions as part of the sequences.
• Introduce apparatus like wall bars, ropes, benches and mats to create a ‘forest’
that can also be incorporated into their sequences.
• Encourage the children to review and evaluate each other’s performances
throughout.
26
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Visit the Zoo and see how our gorillas move, play and interact with each other.
Resources
Clips of gorillas moving – see http://www.arkive.org/western-gorilla/gorilla-gorilla/
Book one of our interactive sessions such as Skeletons and Movement – investigating
how different animals take on the challenge of movement in a variety of
environments.
Topic Ideas for Key Stage 2
Year 5/6
Gorilla Adventure
Curriculum
Links
Geography QCA 7:
Section 3: Where can we go on holiday? How will we get there?
Section 4: What is the place like? How is it similar to and different from our locality?
Section 5: How do we decide what we need to take with us?
Section 6: What will the weather be like? How will it affect what we do?
Cross curricular links: ICT, Maths (addition and subtraction of money, percentages,
weights)
Gorilla Links
Research the area where Cross River gorillas are found on the Nigeria / Cameroon
border.
What you
can do at
school
• Ask the children to imagine they are planning a once in a lifetime trip to see the
Cross River gorillas in the rainforest. How will they get there? Where will they
stay? What else will they see and do on their trip? Research the area, places to
go, accommodation, travel on the internet or using travel brochures.
• Children can be given an imaginary budget and use the internet or travel
brochures, etc. to find out costs. This exercise could be modified by providing a
made up brochure with various options (with pictures, descriptions and prices)
for the children to choose from and related questions. Extend the activity further
by introducing sale prices involving percentage discount, etc.
• Children should find out as much as they can about the chosen destination.
• What is the weather like there? What are conditions like? What activities will
they be doing?
• What would children need to pack for this trip? Make a model of a suitcase and
what items they would take with them. Link to maths by providing prices and/or
weights for items and a weight allowance – how does this affect their choices?
• Look at simple graphs of the weather there, (e.g. temperatures, rainfall, hours
of sunlight, etc.) Provide data of weather in the UK and plot on a graph and
compare with the rainforest. How and why are they different?
• Make and write a postcard about their adventure for everyone at home. Include
what they have done, where they have been and what the weather is like.
• How different is their destination to where they live in the UK?
What you
can do in
the Zoo
Resources
Find out more about where the gorillas live through one of our interactive rainforest
teaching sessions. See what the rainforests are like, what other animals live there and
why they are in danger.
Gorilla distribution map and background information about the gorillas (included in
this pack).
Travel brochures of Nigeria and Cameroon and information about gorilla tours may
be useful.
Pictures of gorillas in their natural habitat. Photo pack resources are available at our
website: www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/learning-zone
Weather data and graphs (e.g., temperature, hours of sunlight, rainfall, etc.) for the
UK and rainforest in Nigeria/Cameroon.
27
Secondary Topic Links
Linking Maths
Convert the gorilla’s diet
into different units. Work out
how much food an average
silverback gorilla will eat in a
week/month/year. Calculate
the cost of feeding a gorilla.
Linking PSHE &
Citizenship
Should zoos exist? Are
poachers bad people or are
they just trying to feed their
family? Do you agree with
eco-tourism?
Art & Music
Make an instrument from
sustainable products and
create a piece of music
inspired by the rainforest/
gorillas.
Science
• Research the issues around
deforestation.
• What would the impacts
be on food webs if gorillas
became extinct?
More Art Ideas
Do some life drawings of our
gorillas. Create a model of a
gorilla using clay.
Linking
Geography
Create a map to show where
gorillas live in the wild.
Explain how human activities
can impact gorillas.
How you
could link
aspects of
this project
to your
subject
ICT, Art &
Science
Create a short factual film
about gorillas. Could link
bipedal movement and how
it works using animation.
Design &
Technology
Design, build and evaluate an
enclosure using sustainable
materials for gorillas.
Linking English
Write diary extracts as if you
were Dian Fossey (Gorillas
in the Mist) and discuss her
thoughts on poaching the
gorillas and her complaints to
the Rwandan government.
28
Activities for Key Stages
3&4
GORILLA
EDUCATION
KIT
Produced by WAZA (World Association
of Zoos and Aquariums), this kit contains
lots of information, photos, and activities.
Activities to
complete at
the Zoo
Animals and Behaviour
Book a session to be shown how and why we conduct behaviour studies. This can
be followed up by a study of our gorillas’ behaviour by completing an ethogram.
Or students can independently carry out a behaviour study led by your teachers.
http://www.yog2009.org/YoG_Downloads/
WAZA_GorillaEducationKit.pdf
Gorillas and Art
Come and do some life drawings of these amazing animals. Use this inspirational
location for some unique photography.
Enclosure/Enrichment Design
This can be completed with a taught session or independently. Get your students
to design an enclosure or enrichment device only using sustainable materials.
They can use the Zoo to gather their ideas. For example our new coati exhibit is a
sustainable build.
Research
Task Ideas
(Useful
websites
provided at the
bottom)
Threats
• Habitat Loss – farmers clearing the forests to grow crops and keep farm
animals, mining for products like gold and coltan, logging for timber and
charcoal.
• Poaching – trophy kills, traditional medicines and bushmeat. Sometimes they
are caught in snares left for other species. Poachers sometimes seize baby
gorillas.
• Disease – humans and gorillas can catch diseases from each other e.g. Ebola
Virus.
• Conflict – gorillas are sometimes caught in the cross-fire or can be deliberately
targeted.
• Illegal Wildlife Trade – holidaymakers bring back a range of illegal articles such
as coral, ivory, animal skins and turtle shell products.
Habitats
• Volcanoes- Africa’s most active volcanoes are found in Virunga National Park.
Nyamuragira last erupted on 1st January 2010. Nyiragongo made 500 000
people flee their homes in January 2002 and has the most violent lava lake in
the world.
Poverty
• Gorillas live in countries with some of the highest population densities, lowest
literacy rates and lowest standards of living.
Useful
websites
and
resources:
http://www.arkive.org/western-gorilla/gorilla-gorilla/
http://www.igcp.org/gorillas/threats/
http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/species/problems/illegal_trade/
http://www.gorillas.org/crossrivergorillas
Diet sheet (continued overleaf)
29
Diet Sheet
Western Lowland Gorilla - Silverback
Ave. weight
190 kg Time of
Day
Food Item
Quantity per
animal
Morning
Peppers
2-3
Daily Diet
per Animal
Tomatoes
3-4
Carrots
3-4
The amount
given to the
gorillas varies
depending on
the individual.
Pertinax gets
the greatest
amount with
Kiondu getting
slightly less and
the remaining 3
boys getting slightly less again.
Cucumber
1/4-1/2
Leeks
2-3
Chinese leaf
1
Kale
2-3
Spinach
1 bag
Banana
1
Apple
1
Pear
1
Dry feed
Cup full
Parsnip
Several pieces
Leeks
Several pieces
Tomatoes
3
Leeks
2
Parsnip
1
Turnip
1
Chicory
1
Aubergine
1
Sweetcorn
1
Cabbage
1-2
Broccoli
1-2
Celeriac
1/4-1/2
Potato
2 large pieces
Sweet potato
2 large pieces
Swede
2 large pieces
Beetroot
2 large pieces
Banana
1-2
Apple
1
Pear
1
Melon
1 large piece
Pineapple
1 large piece
Peach
1
Plum
1-2
Passion fruit
1
Nutrient composition:
Nutrient Amount / volume / concentration
Energy (ME)
Crude Fibre ADF
NDF
NFE
Crude Protein
Crude Fat Vitamin A
Vitamin D3
Vitamin E
Calcium
Phosphorous 3.15 kcal/g
8.51%
14.12%
22.51%
23.42%
21.52%
4.12%
65.45 IU/g
1.85 IU/g
129.05 mg/kg
0.82%
0.61%
Afternoon
References
Popovich, D.G. and E.S. Dierenfeld (1997) Gorilla
Nutrition. In: Management of Gorillas in Captivity:
Husbandry Manual, Gorilla Species Survival Plan. J.
Ogden and D. Wharton, Eds. American Association
of Zoos and Aquariums
30
Evening
SUBMISSION FORM
To be completed by your project’s lead contact
TITLE: (Mr / Mrs / Ms / Other)
FIRST NAME: (BLOCK CAPITALS)
POSITION:
SCHOOL / ORGANISATION NAME: (as it is to appear on publicity)
CONTACT ADDRESS:
POSTCODE:
TELEPHONE: home / work
TELEPHONE: mobile
EMAIL:
WEB LINK / ADDRESS:
Continued overleaf...
31
PROPOSED NAME FOR YOUR GORILLA
YOUR GORILLA
PLEASE GIVE A 50 WORD DESCRIPTION OF YOUR GORILLA DESIGN
e.g. what inspired its design and who created the design
COPYRIGHT
The submitted artwork must be your own and original. By submitting your artwork to The
Great Gorillas Project you permit Paignton Zoo Environmental Park and Wild in Art the right to
reproduce and display your artwork.
SIGNED:
DATE:
PLEASE SEND YOUR COMPLETED APPLICATION TO :
Michelle Youd
Education Department
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park
Totnes Road
Paignton
Devon TQ4 7EU
32
THE GREAT GORILLAS PROJECT EDUCATION PACK
EVALUATION FORM
We hope that you have found the sculpture and education pack useful teaching tools. In order
to improve future versions of the pack, we would very much appreciate your comments. Please,
help us by filling out this evaluation form, giving us valuable feedback.
HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE SCULPTURE?
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY PUPILS PARTICIPATED IN THE DESIGNING AND
PAINTING OF THE GORILLA?
1-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-30
more
THE EDUCATION PACK
Format (please circle)
Primary
Secondary
Primary & Secondary
DID YOU USE THE GORILLA EDUCATION PACK?
Not at all
Partly / A little
Partly / A lot
All of it
If you did not use it at all, can you please explain why?
HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE EDUCATION PACK?
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Fair
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Excellent
WHICH ADJECTIVE(S) DESCRIBE THE EDUCATION PACK BEST (CHOOSE AS
MANY AS YOU LIKE)?
Diverse Easy to use Clear Timely/topical Chaotic Boring Informative Useful Difficult
Concise
Other comments (e.g. how would you improve it?)
WHAT DID THE PUPILS LEARN (PLEASE ASK THE PUPILS DIRECTLY)?
DID YOU FIND THAT SOMETHING WAS MISSING FROM THE PACK?
Yes
No
If yes, please describe:
33
Notes
34
Notes
35
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, Totnes Road,
Paignton, Devon TQ4 7EU
www.paigntonzoo.org.uk | www.greatgorillas.org.uk
Twitter: @GreatGorillas
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Registered charity number 300923.