Definition:

The ability to read body and facial language that shows when others are feeling hurt, and demonstrating the desire to try to help them with their troubles. 

In short: 

Feel what others feel.

Summary:

This is the true story of a baby Silverback gorilla, born in Central Africa. He was stolen by poachers, and taken to Tacoma, Washington in the USA. Ivan became a pet and lived with a human family until he grew too big. He was moved to a cage in a shopping mall, with no other gorillas. Eventually, because of activists’ protests, he was rescued and transported to a natural habitat with other gorillas. Ivan’s story encourages us to have compassion for animals and recognize the importance of protecting them and respecting their natural habitat. 

Lesson Objectives: 

1. Teachers can guide students to research organizations that protect wild animals and their habitats. Students may want to volunteer for a local organization.  
2. This is a good opportunity to introduce the concept of extinction and persuade students to learn about some animals that need our protection. 

Guiding Questions: 

1. Can you explain what poachers are?
2. What makes them do what they do, and why are their actions illegal? 
3. How does this story make you feel? 
4. Those who put Ivan in the shopping mall were insensitive  to his needs for a natural habitat and companionship. What do you think you’d do if you saw an animal being mistreated like this? 
5. We are all curious to see exotic animals like gorillas, but does that give us the right to put them in cages? Why or why not? 
6. If people were allowed to kill or catch and sell as many animals as they wanted to, what do you think would happen to species like gorillas eventually? 
7. Can you define what extinction is, and give an example? 
8. What are some ways humans can show more compassion toward animals? 
9. Do you think wild animals should be kept as pets? Why or why not? 
10. If you saw an animal that had been wounded or abandoned, what would you do?