Animal Intelligence
Explore animal intelligence and complex behaviour — chimpanzees and crows use tools, dolphins recognise themselves in mirrors, octopuses solve puzzles and escape enclosures, elephants mourn their dead, meerkats teach their young to handle scorpions — understanding that many animals think, learn, and have social lives more complex than once believed
Lesson
Set out your lesson
“Animal Intelligence means practising the idea at the table with real materials and one clear check. We will demo once, then your child tries.”
Bring to the table
- Picture or object cards for Animal Intelligence
- Paper and a pencil
Extra for the adult
Worked example. Adult shows one clear example for Animal Intelligence, then the child tries a matching example with a reason. Larger handwriting would not change the idea.
Optional challenge. For Animal Intelligence, add one harder example after success.
What to notice. Keep one parent note: examples tried; reasons; support used. This session samples Animal Intelligence, not mastery.
Share and support
Family records and proof options
Keep a record of your learning
Save photos, notes, and attendance. Export a proof packet for compliance or portfolio reviews.
Practice this concept
Start practiceAnimal Intelligence practice
Practice key ideas from Animal Intelligence.
Free · no login · no ads · Practice answers and completion are not saved. Parent observation remains the lesson record.
Learning resources
Extra practice links — they do not replace Gakuva’s teaching approach.
PhET Interactive Simulations · Practice link — not the full lesson
Projectile Motion
Before you open · source notes
Projectile Motion supports hands-on exploration for Animal Intelligence. Not every lab worksheet.
Free interactive or educational page, no sign-in required for the tested path.
Before you openAsk the learner what they changed in the sim or page and what they observed.
Opening this link does not save learning or assess mastery.
Source, access and review notes
Public PhET Interactive Simulations HTML5 page. An anonymous GET on 2026-11-12 returned HTTP 200 with no login or payment prompt for this sim URL. Opening the link does not save practice or assess mastery. The sim is interactive in-browser; Gakuva does not embed or host it.
PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder. “Projectile Motion.” External sim; Gakuva does not copy, host, embed, or redistribute it.
Unknown — link only
Check understanding
- Gives at least 4 examples of animal intelligence or complex behaviour
- Explains what 'tool use' means and names at least 2 tool-using animals
- Discusses how scientists test animal intelligence (mirror test, puzzle boxes, observation)
- Shows understanding that intelligence takes different forms in different species
“If your child watches a video of a crow using a stick to get food from a tube, can they explain that this shows animal intelligence and give other examples of animals that use tools, solve problems, or show complex behaviour?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Animals of the World
- Age range
- Ages 9–11