Jane Goodall Day is April 3rd!

An English primatologist, Jane helped to change the attitudes people had toward animals, specifically the chimpanzee. Her method of studying chimpanzees involved living amongst them, for over 55 years. She was known as an anthropologist, humanitarian and writer. She worked for better treatment of animals in zoos and protection of the habitat of animals in the wild. Learn some interesting facts about Jane!

Did You Know? 

Events in our childhood can often have an influence on the adult we become. 

* Jane was given a stuffed chimp as a gift at the age of two. She named it Jubilee, the same name as the chimp recently born at the London Zoo. People worried the stuffed animal would give Jane nightmares. Instead, she was fascinated with the stuffed chimp! Jane had that stuffed chimpanzee her entire life.

* Jane  was always interested in creatures of the planet. She was about 2 years old when she found some earthworms and decided to place them in her bed. (Some say she put them under her pillow.) Jane’s mom said that they needed soil to survive and keeping them in her bed would harm them

* Jane showed patience and determination as a girl, important traits for her later career of study chimpanzees. Jane spent days trying to get a pig to eat apple cores from her hand.She was only about 4 years old. She didn’t give up until one day, the pig came up to  her and took the apple cores from her hand. 

* Jane loved to read. She was fascinated with Africa and wildlife. In addition to the bookDoctor Doolittle, Jane enjoyed  the Tarzan books.  Tarzan was doing just what she wanted to do, living in Africa among the wild. 

* As an adult, Jane’s observations changed many beliefs held at the time about the chimpanzee.  Jane observed young chimpanzees playing  games such as tug of war with a twig. She recorded chimpanzees bowing  to one another, kissing hands, throwing  rocks. Jane even saw chimps tickling one another! An amazing discovery was that like humans, chimpanzees used tools. This was something not thought to be done by other creatures than humans. Jane observed one chimp, she named David Greybeard (the first chimpanzee to make contact with Jane in her first year at Gombe) and others use long grass and dip it into a termite mound to get food.She also saw chimpanzees chewed grasses and use it as a type of sponge to get water and to clean themselves.

* Jane observed that just like humans there were kind chimpanzees and nasty ones. She witnessed chimpanzees having emotions such as anger, happiness and sadness. 

* Jane wanted to change people’s thoughts about animals. She started the program, Chimpanzoo, for better treatment of chimpanzees in captivity. She started a club for kids to learn about wildlife and how they can help called Roots and Shoots. She also saw the destruction of habitat of wildlife in Africa and started TACARE, a program to plant over a million trees.  In 1977, Jane started the Jane Goodall Institute. The purpose is to educate people about wildlife and the importance of protecting their habitats.

Quotes of Jane Goodall:

1. “We should have respect for animals because it makes better human beings of us all.

2. “The greatest danger to our future is apathy. That I did not fail was due in part to patience.”

3. “The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

4. “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual can make a difference.”

Illustrate one of the quotes and write a short paragraph explaining what you think the quote means. 

Check out this resource: Jane Goodall, A Reader’s Theater Script: Students will have fun learning about the life of Jane Goodall with my Reader's Theater Script. Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series, a "studio audience" asks questions of Ms. Bie Ografee's guest, Jane Goodall. In addition to the host and guest, there are 10 audience questioners. There are several DiD You Know? facts, comprehension questions, a map activity as well as a Teacher Page with additional extension activities and the keys.

Illustrations/Photographs from Pixabay

Chatgpt for illustration.