By NATALIE SCOTT Watson third-graders in Dana Elias’ class got
the opportunity to study animals as part of their science
projects, beginning in the early part of January and presenting
their findings in a speech to their classroom Jan. 28. The
students had to meet a variety of criteria when examining their
animals, including general facts, information about their
habitats, one interesting fact about their animal, and a picture
or other visual aid for their projects. One of the first
presentations was on chimpanzees, one of the mammals considered
to be closest to human intelligence. The student told his
classmates that chimpanzees are one of the few animals in the
wild to use tools in their day-to-day lives. He also told them
about the kinds of homes chimpanzees build and that humans are
responsible for destroying many of their habitats. Another
student did a presentation on dolphins, who live in many
different oceans. One of the most interesting facts about
dolphins is that they don’t sleep like humans do, an