Research Skills: Passages Expectations

Subject, Main Idea, Facts, Opinions, Primary vs Secondary Sources

Can Animals Think?

What is the topic (subject matter) of the passage?

This only needs to be one or two words, it does not have to be a complete sentence.

What is the main idea of the passage? (What is the message you receive after reading it?)

This should be a complete sentence.

List any facts you found in this passage (QUOTE FROM PASSAGE)

Advance/Proficient Answer:

Fu Manchu’s jailbreaks made headlines in 1968.

At the time, much of the action in animal intelligence was focused on efforts to teach apes to use human languages.

The next day, Stones noticed something shiny sticking out of Fu’s mouth. It was the wire lock pick, bent to fit between his lip and gum and stowed there between escapes.

Washoe eventually learned more than 130 words from the language of the deaf called American Sign Language.

FactsBasic/Below Basic Answer: You summarize or only put a portion of the sentence.

Fu Manchu escapes.

Scientist wanted to teach language.

Fu Manchu kept pick in mouth.

Washoe learned sign language.

Opinions

Advanced/Proficient Answer:

“No researcher cared much about ape escape artists.”

“A sad fact of life is that it is easier to spot evidence of intelligence in devious behavior than in acts of cooperation or love.”

“This was remarkable since Orky had never been trained to carry people on his head like Sea World’s Shamu.”

“Then using the amazing power of his tail fluke to keep steady, Orky provided a platform…..”

Opinions

Basic/Below Basic Answer

Researchers didn’t care.

A sad fact of life.

This was remarkable.

Then using the amazing power.

Is this a primary source or is it a secondary source?

---------primary source -----------secondary source

How do you know? Use your notes to explain what type of source this passage is?

Advanced/Proficient Answer:

I know that this story is a secondary source because the author was referring to stories about other animals that he hasn’t actually seen or was a part of.

This is a secondary source because the people (author) didn’t really witness it, they read about it.

Basic/Below Basic Answer: It is coming from earlier out of a book.(Confusing)

This is secondary article because the stories are right from the source.(That would make it a primary source)

Secondary source because they told stories.(Not a complete sentence and who is they?)

Because all of these happened but I wasn’t there to witness it but it did happen.(You have nothing to do with the equation.)