Definition:

 Someone who is grateful is thankful for people, nature, and things. Stewardship means taking good care of what we’ve been given.

In short:

Thankful for every blessing, big or small.

Summary:

Jane Goodall’s interest in animals began early on when she was a child, observing and reading about them. When she was 22 years old she started working with chimpanzees in Tanzania in Africa. She became world-famous when she wrote articles and books about her discoveries and experiences with chimps. Because of her love for the chimps she studied, Jane has traveled around the world to teach everyone about how to protect the animals and plants that share the earth with us.

Lesson Objectives: 

1. This lesson can be linked to academic subjects such as zoology, conservation, and geography.
2. Teachers guide students in a discussion about the definition and practical application of the word “stewardship.” A stewardship project can be designed and implemented by students.

Guiding Questions: 

1. As a child, how did Jane learn about animals? 
2. Why did animals not run or fly away when Jane wanted to observe them? 
3. Why did she want to go to Africa? 
4. What are three things Jane learned about chimps? 
5. Jane wrote books and articles about her findings. What else did she do to tell people what she learned? 
6. Jane discovered that chimps have emotions. Share about some emotions you’ve observed in animals. 
7. Pick an interesting wild animal with which you are familiar.  How are you the same and how are you different? 
8. We have zoos so we can observe wild animals that we’d never see but some people believe that it’s unfair to the animals. What do you think about that? 
9. Can you name three or four wild animals that live where you do? Share about what you know about them. 
10. Jane was very patient and respectful when she observed gorillas. Do you think you could be patient enough to do what she did? Why or why not?