The One and Only Ivan
https://goo.gl/HL8c9v
Guiding Questions
BIG CONCEPT
What are the responsibilities of the individual / society in regard to animals and their environments?
The Real Ivan
The Real Ivan
A class set up a google hangout with the people at Zoo Atlanta, who were Ivan's caretakers for the later part of his life. Watch this interview to get to know the real gorilla from The One and Only Ivan.
Read more about the real Ivan:
Meet Ivan: The Gorilla Who Lived in a Shopping Mall
I have taken some notes from the google hangout and posted them on the blog. Click on the links below to learn more about Ivan. Then click on “Post Here” and add something new that you learned about Ivan in the comments section.
The Real Ivan: Separating Fact from Fiction
Separating Fact from Fiction: Open a new google document and make a 2-column notes chart for fiction/reality. When you notice details that are based on the real Ivan or something that was made up to enhance the story in some way, add the details to the chart (include page numbers!). When you are finished with your notes, come back to this page and respond to this post: Compare the real Ivan to The One and Only Ivan.
Read the author’s page describing how she was inspired by the real Ivan, and her reasoning for altering some of the real story HERE.
For more information on the real Ivan, watch “Urban Gorilla” on vimeo HERE.
“It’s hard to put into words. Gorilla’s are not complainers. We are dreamers, poets, philosophers, nap takers.”
-The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
“
What Does it mean to be a gorilla?
Ivan often describes what it means to be a gorilla. I have started a list of all of the characteristics of a gorilla, according to Ivan. Add to this list as you are reading when you come across new descriptions, including the page number where the description can be found.
Add your quotes to the comments on this blog post: “What Does it Mean to be a Gorilla?”
“Not Sleepy”, p. 51-53
Respond: What does this passage reveal about Ivan's character? Be sure to include details from the text to support your conclusion. You will know if you didn't explain your reasoning very well based on the follow up questions from your classmates. You can leave your response as a comment on the blog post.
Asking Follow-up Questions:
It is important to interact with each other and grow the conversation. You can grow the conversation by reading your classmates responses asking follow-up questions:
Remember: Stay relevant, be civil, re-read and re-think before you submit.
In today's reading, Ivan can't sleep, even though he is tired. Something seems to be bothering him. Stella suggests that he think of a happy day.
The Arrival, p. 68-70
Following Ruby's arrival, Ivan thinks: "I am glad for Stella. But when I glance at her, I see she is not glad at all." Why do you think Stella is conflicted about Ruby joining them? Why might she be happy to have Ruby there? Why might it also make her sad? Watch the book trailer for The One and Only Ivan. Does this give you any clues as to why Stella may have mixed feelings about Ruby's arrival?
The Promise (1 of 3)
Cage vs. Domain: Connotative and Denotative Meanings:
Stella to Ivan: p.111:
"I've never asked for a promise before, because promises are forever, and forever is an unusually long time when you're in a cage."
"Domain," I correct.
Ruby and Ivan: p. 165
"Ruby taps her trunk against the rusty iron bars of her door. 'Do you think,' she asks, 'that I'll die in this domain someday, like Aunt Stella?'
Once again I consider lying, but when I look at Ruby, the half-formed words die in my throat. 'Not if I can help it,' I say instead.
I felt something tighten in my chest, something dark and hot. 'And it's not a domain,' I add.
I pause and then I say it. 'It's a cage.'"
The Promise (2 of 3)
In the beginning of the story the author defines a domain as a territory. A cage is defined as a structure of bars or wires in which birds or other animals are confined.
There are connotative and denotative meanings to these words, similar to the way that the words "house" and "home" have different meanings. The connotative meaning of “home” is a place of security, comfort, and family. When Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz says, “There’s no place like home,” she’s not referring to its denotation, but the emotions “home” evokes for her and most people. A denotative meaning is the literal meaning of a word, the dictionary version. Remember this because Denotative/Dictionary are both "D" words. Connotative meanings involve shared feelings and emotions that the words carries with it.
Although "cage" may be a synonym for "domain", it has a different connotative meaning. In the examples from The One and Only Ivan, does the word "cage" have a positive, negative, or neutral connotation? What is the connotative meaning of cage? Earlier in the story Ivan corrected Bob when he called their "domain" a "cage". Now Ivan has changed his thinking, and he is correcting Ruby. What do you think has caused him to change the way he feels about his "home"?
The Promise (3 of 3)
Watch this video about connotative and denotative word meanings. Can you make a better video explaining connotative and denotative word meanings using "cage" and "domain" as examples? If you make a video, use the “post here” link and share it.
Knowing, p. 114
Knowing
"Stella once teased me that elephants are more superior because they feel more joy and more grief than apes."
"Right now I would give all of the yogurt raisins in all of the world for a heart made of ice."
Read this article about the brain of a killer whale to give you some insight.
Click on the photo of Robin Williams and Koko the gorilla to do some more research before posting. There is an article and video about a San Francisco gorilla, Koko, that can communicate through sign language and it shows her reaction to the news that her good friend Robin Williams had died. Have your views on animals feeling emotions changed?
Can animals be sad, depressed, lonely, bored, or jealous? Are these human emotions that we project on them. Is it convenient for us to believe that animals don't feel the same way that we experience pain, sadness, grief, or joy? Why?
If you do feel that animals feel genuine emotions what implications might that have? Do all animals feel these emotions or is this ability connected to intelligence? What evidence has led you to this conclusion.
BIG CONCEPT
What does it mean to live in an unnatural environment? Do humans live in unnatural environments?
Creature Comforts, Part 1
I have posted a stop motion animation video made by the creators of "Wallace and Grommit" and it is called "Creature Comforts". Please click on the TEDed link to watch this video and join the discussion. I think the creators of this video may have been influenced by the story of the real Ivan because the character has a lot of similarities to Ivan, even down to the tally marks on the wall.
Think:
What are the most common complaints that the zoo animals have?
What are some of the things that the animals state that they like about their life in the zoo?
How might these animal interviews had been different if animals from a circus or amusement park zoo had been interviewed instead?
What makes a good zoo?
CREATURE COMFORTS: Part 2
Read
Stanford students ease life in the zoo
Through a unique experience at the San Francisco Zoo, Stanford students learn how to apply principles of animal behavior to design environmental enrichments that benefit both the animals and the complex mission of a zoo.
Explore the Text Set
Zoo Chimps Mental Health Affected by Captivity
Zoo Animals and Their Discontents
The Cute Zoo Animal Behaviors that are Actually Signs of Zoochosis
Zoochosis: What Really Happens to Animals in Captivity (VIDEO)
Is mental stimulation through environmental enrichment equally important as nutrition and veterinary care? Why or why not?
My Place, p. 142-145
"Mack grew sullen, and I grew bigger. I became what I was meant to be, too large for chairs, too strong for hugs, too big for human life.
I tried to stay calm, to move with dignity. I did my best to eat daintily. But human ways are hard to learn, especially when you're not human.
When I saw my domain, I was thrilled, and who wouldn't have been? It had no furniture to break. No glasses to smash. No toilets to drop Mack's keys in.
It even had a tire swing.
I was relieved to have my own place.
Somehow, I didn't realize I'd be here quite so long.
Now I drink Pepsi, eat old apples, watch reruns on TV.
But many days I forget what I am supposed to be. Am I a human? Am I a gorilla?
Humans have so many words, more than they truly need.
Still, they have no name for what I am."
Ivan seems to be having an identity crisis, or a feeling of unhappiness and confusion caused by not being sure about what type of person you really are or what the true purpose of your life is. How might Ivan's living arrangements have created this confusion? Refer back to the post “Not Sleepy”. Ivan is remembering. How is this changing things for him?
A Bad Dream, p. 161
"Every so often, I glance over at the empty ring. The claw stick glints in the moonlight.
'Stop! No!' Ruby's frantic cries startle me.
'Ruby,' I call, 'you're having a bad dream. You're okay. You're safe.'
'Where's Stella?' she asks, gulping at air. Before I can answer, she says, 'Never mind, I remember now.'
'Go back to sleep, Ruby,' I say. 'You've had a hard day.'
'I can't go back to sleep,' she says. 'I'm afraid I'll have the same dream. There was a sharp stick and it hurt...'"
This made me think about whether or not animals have dreams. Do you think animals dream? If so, what have you observed before that makes you think that they do dream. I also wonder what animals dream about. Do frogs dream about falling off of their lily pads and catching flies? Do they have realistic dreams, or fantastical dreams, or both? Do they day dream?
"What Do Animals Dream About?" This article may be a difficult read because there's a lot of technical language, but if you skim through it you might be able to get a piece or two of information from it.
I am a big, BIG fan of cute animal videos. Of course I'm going to use this opportunity to include a video compilation of doggies and their dreams.
BIG CONCEPT
How are characters transformed through their relationships with others?
A Remarkable Friendship
Today I read a book called "Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship". It is the story of a baby hippo, Owen, that is caught in a tsunami and becomes stranded at sea. He loses his mother and the rest of his pod in the tsunami. He is rescued by humans and relocated to a shared domain with a giant tortoise, Mzee, who becomes his best friend. It is a true story of the most unlikely friendship. Watch the documentary version of the Owen and Mzee story:
Part 1:
Part 2:
A Remarkable Friendship
Visit the Owen and Mzee website before responding to the blog post.
Read, "Hippo and Tortoise Pals May Find Three's a Crowd"
How does the introduction of a new animal (Ruby) to the domain differ from the introduction of a new animal (a female hippo) in a real life animal sanctuary?
There are so many similarities between Owen and Mzee & Ivan and Ruby that go beyond the obvious (their remarkable friendship). For example, Owen was saved by humans when he became stranded and Ruby was saved by humans when she fell in the village well. According to the documentary, Owen never really trusts the humans, while Ruby seems to be very comfortable with them, even after her bad experiences in the circus. What comparisons can you make between the two stories?
“A good zoo is a large domain. A wild cage. A safe place to be. It has room to roam and humans who don’t hurt. A good zoo is how humans make amends.”
-Stella
Making Amends
“‘That’s true,’ I admit. Not remembering can be difficult, but I’ve had a lot of time to work on it.”
The One and Only Ivan
Ivan in the Shopping Mall:
Ivan at Zoo Atlanta:
BIG CONCEPT
Are Zoos Good or Bad?
Gain knowledge to write an educated response to this prompt. Do some background research by reading Animal Ethics Text Set
Explore this topic further: Go to debate.org and read some of the posts both in favor of and against zoos. This is a good place to get ideas about counter arguments that you would respond to in your post.
With wild habitats disappearing worldwide, what role (if any) should zoos have in the conservation of endangered species, research and education? Remember: Stay relevant, be civil, re-read and re-think before you submit.
Asking Follow-up Questions:
It is important to interact with each other and grow the conversation. You can grow the conversation by reading your classmates responses asking follow-up questions:
Are zoos good or bad?
I think it depends on the zoo. Look at the Kaliningrad Zoo in Russia (pictured above) and the Minnesota Zoo in the USA (pictured top and bottom right), there’s a big difference.
A Look at Gorillas Around the World
Showing Julia, P. 202-203
“It’s time to show my work.
The mall is silent, except for Thelma the macaw, who is practicing her new phrase: ‘Uh-oh!’
Julia is finishing her homework. George is sweeping outside. Mack has gone home for the night.
I grab Not-Tag and carefully pull out the folded papers. So many paintings! Page after page. Piece after piece of my giant puzzle.
I pound on my glass and Julia glances over.
Fingers trembling. I hold up one of my paintings. It’s brown and green, a corner piece.
Julia smiles.
I display another picture, and then another and another and another, each one a tiny part of the whole.
Julia looks confused. ‘But...what is it?’ she asks. She shrugs. ‘It doesn’t matter. It’s pretty just as it is.’
‘Uh-oh,’ says Thelma.
No, I think. No.
It does matter.”
Click Here for directions to an in class art activity
Showing Julia, P. 202-203
After completing the activity write about what it was like trying to put the pieces together. Include any thoughts that you might have on how Ivan’s plan could have been different to make it easier for Julia to figure out what he was trying to tell her. Do you think she will be able to figure it out? Is this a very realistic element of the text? Do some research to find out how Ivan’s message became public in the real story of Ivan the gorilla. Why do you think the author changed this part of the story?
Side-by-side Plot Comparisons
The Dam Keeper
Today we will watch a short film called the Dam Keeper and do a comparative analysis of plot and theme with this film and the novel “The One and Only Ivan”.
Side-by-side Plot Comparisons
A comparative analysis of plot, conflict and theme:
Think:
How does the introduction of a new character in both stories (Fox/Ruby) cause the main character (Pig/Ivan) to change? How does this relationship affect the outcome of the story?
How is the conflict of character vs. society evident in both stories?
Dig Deeper:
Quote taken from The Dam Keeper
“Dad had always said the job of a dam keeper is to keep the darkness away.
But he never told me what to do when it surrounds you.
His mask protected me from the cloud, but nothing I had, protected me from the people. ”
How does this quote also apply to Ivan? Does he wear a “mask” as well? Perhaps in a more symbolic rather than a literal sense of the word?
Respond:
How are the themes of loneliness, bullying, isolation and friendship similar in these two stories. Do the authors’ have similar messages?
Exploring Themes
What is the theme in this story? Is there a motif that helped you to identify what the author was trying to tell you? Use the topic/theme chart on the next slide.
Motif a recurring feature, idea, or symbol in a story that is related to, and helps the reader understand the theme.
From Topic | To Theme |
First choose one or more important thematic topics from The One and Only Ivan: •Bullying •Friendship •Loneliness •Isolation •Loss •Freedom •Identity •Acceptance •Animal Rights •Add your own: | Then state the thematic ideas for the topic(s) that the author believes to be a universal truth: •__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ •__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ •__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
Combine those ideas into a single statement of the author’s message: | |
Theme: There are multiple themes in this story relating to the following topics:
CREDITS
Special thanks to all the people who made and released these awesome resources: