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3 A Home for the Chimps

Andrew Westoll
Ontario
Andrew Westoll,  Ontario

Andrew Westoll is an award-winning narrative journalist and internationally published author. His first book, The Riverbones, is a passionate, stunningly written travel-memoir and eco-narrative that describes his five-month odyssey-of-return through the untouched rainforests of Suriname, where he once lived as a monkey researcher. An excerpt won gold at the 2007 National Magazine Awards. His latest, The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary, grapples with questions of what we owe to the animals who are our nearest genetic relations. Read more

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Tuesday, October 18, 2011 - 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Revue Stage
$17 / $8.50 for student groups (Buy Tickets Online)

For ten weeks, Andrew Westoll lived and worked at Fauna, a sanctuary outside of Montreal where more than a dozen adult chimpanzees have retired after years of use in American biomedical research labs. The book that resulted from his time there, The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary, details the history of biomedical research, the establishment of the private sanctuary and the daily lives of these recovering animals. They are fascinating characters who are close enough to human to provide useful medical information  - which has led to their mistreatment in the name of science. Westoll, formerly a primatologist and now a journalist, tells this compelling story with a multimedia presentation.

Suitable for grades 8–12

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View the study guide for this event.

A Home for the Chimps

For 10 weeks, Andrew Westoll lived and worked at Fauna, a sanctuary outside of Montreal for more than a dozen adult chimpanzees that had been used for years in American biomedical research labs. The book that resulted from his time there, The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary, details the history of biomedical research, setting up the private sanctuary by Gloria Grow, and the daily lives and challenges faced by these recovering animals, who are close enough to human to provide useful medical – which has led to their mistreatment in the name of science. Westoll, formerly a primatologist and now a journalist, has a very thoughtful story to tell through his multi-media presentation.

Curriculum Connection:

  • Science
  • Environment & Sustainability
  • Language arts: to write fluently and appropriately in different contexts, adapting speech and writing for a range of purposes and audiences.

Activities:

1)      Divide the class into five groups and assign each group one of the presentation subjects below to research. The assigned audience for each group is listed beneath the subject and they must tailor their presentation to that specific audience.

2)      To make their presentations interesting, students should consider using anecdotes, visual aids and cited sources, and pay attention to pace, tone, volume, vocabulary and personal presentation.

3)      One person per group may be nominated to speak, or the whole group can participate. The presentations should be given in front of the class and should last no more than 10 minutes.

4)      The final part of the assignment is a written component requiring students to adapt their presentation for a new audience (see below), with a complete outline for their new presentation and the reasoning behind the changes they have made.

 

Presentation 1: Banning whaling forever

To be given to: International Whaling Commission

Adapted for: A Brownie pack

 

Presentation 2: Should animals be kept in zoos?

To be given to: A local council which is considering funding a new zoo.

Adapted for: A group of their own friends

 

Presentation 3: The importance of conserving turtles

To be given to: Representatives of the tourist industry

Adapted for: A local conservation group

 

Presentation 4: The problem of stray cats and dogs

To be given to: A public meeting about the issue

Adapted for: The local council

 

Presentation 5: Should hunting be banned?

To be given to: Premier of BC

Adapted for: A school assembly

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