NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS Pre/Post Assessment .
NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDSPre/Post AssessmentUse this assessment to discover howmuch your students already knowabout animal behavior and trainingbefore you begin this unit, and lateras a conclusion to your study. Name some animals that can betrained to perform in marine lifeshows. Describe the kinds of thingsthey do in a show. What does behavior mean? Givesome examples of human behavior. Choose an ocean animal and roleplay its behavior for avoidingpredators. Role-play its behaviorfor finding food. Describe how you might be able tocommunicate with someone whodoesn’t speak your language. Show how you might get a friend totouch a particular object using onlythe words “hot” and “cold.” Draw or paint a picture that showswhat an animal trainer might do ina typical work day. Explain how you think a trainermight teach a sea lion to do abackflip in the air.SeaWorld and Busch Gardens education programs andpublications support the National Science EducationStandards. The Animal Behavior and TrainingTeacher’s Guide for grades K–3 includes connectionsto the following standards:Life Sciences Characteristics of organisms Life cycles of organisms Organisms and environmentsPersonal and Social Perspectives Types of resources Changes in environments Science and technology in local challengesHistory and Nature of Science Science as a human endeavorScience as Inquiry Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Understanding about scientific inquiryUnifying Concepts and Processes Systems, order, and organization Evidence, models, and explanation Change, constancy, and measurement Evolution and equilibrium Form and functionNational Research Council. National Science EducationStandards. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1996.CoversFront (clockwise from upper left): bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), beluga whale(Delphinapterus leucas) and friend, Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinerea),California sea lion (Zalophus californianus).Back (clockwise from upper left): California sea lion, bottlenose dolphin, killer whalesand trainer, SeaWorld Adventure Campers and a performer in the “Pets Rule” showat SeaWorld San Diego.ISBN 1-893698-39-4Printed in the United States of America 2004 Sea World, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Published by the SeaWorld Education Department500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diego, California, 92109-7904Permission is granted by SeaWorld for classroom teachers to make reprographic copies of worksheets for noncommercial use. Thispermission does not extend to copying for promotional purposes, creating new collective works, or resale. For more informationwrite or call the SeaWorld Education Department.
Animal Behavior and TrainingK–3 Teacher’s GuideA SEAWORLD PUBLICATIONCONTENTSPre/Post Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inside front coverGoals and Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2About Animal Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4About Animal Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Marine Mammal Training at SeaWorld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6SeaWorld Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Marine Mammal Mimics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Hold Your Breath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Communication: Sights and Sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Hot and Cold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16A Story Without Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Watch and Learn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Dolphin Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Survivor! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24To the TeacherThe Animal Behavior and Training Teacher’s Guide for grades K–3 was developed atSeaWorld to help you teach your students—in an active, hands-on way—about animalbehavior and how we train animals. Our goal is to integrate science, mathematics, art,and language. SeaWorld curriculum supports the National Science Education Standards.The brief background information in this Guide was written for you, the teacher. Itwill help you do these activities with your students. We suggest you also refer to someof the materials listed on page 24 for more in-depth information. SeaWorld strives toprovide teachers with up-to-date information and activities that motivate students toappreciate and conserve wildlife, the oceans, and the natural world.Do you have comments or suggestions regarding the activities in this Teacher’s Guide?We’d love to hear your opinion. Write the SeaWorld San Diego Education Department,email us at SWC.Education@seaworld.com, or call 1-800-23-SHAMU.
SeaWorld Teacher’s GuideGoals of the Animal Behavior and Training UnitStudents will observe and recognize behavior patterns of humans and marineanimals. They will become aware of how animals can be trained throughreinforcing desired behavior.ObjectivesAfter completing the unit, the student will be able to .1. Define the word behavior.2. Observe and document an animal’s behavior.3. Demonstrate several examples of typical behaviors of some marine mammalsand explain how those behaviors help the animal survive.4. Demonstrate ways to communicate with another individual without using words.5. Use positive reinforcement to shape a classmate’s behavior.6. Describe some possible rewards for marine mammals.7. Show and explain how a trainer uses a target as a training tool.8. Describe an example of the steps that a SeaWorld trainer would use to train ananimal to do a simple behavior.9. Relate what spending a day as a SeaWorld trainer might be like.10. Share his or her learning experience with family and friends.Vocabularyethology (ee-THAHL-uh-jee) — thestudy of animal behavior.anthropomorphize (an-thruh-puhMOR-fize) — to attribute humancharacteristics or emotions to animals.flukes — the horizontal lobes of the tailof a whale, dolphin, or porpoise, madeof connective tissue (not bone).behavior — the way an animal acts.bow — a leap out of the water by ananimal such as a dolphin, penguin, orsea lion. The animal enters the wateragain head-first as in a dive.genetic — having to do with the scienceof heredity and how characteristics arepassed from one generation to the next.breach — a behavior in which a whale,dolphin, or sea lion jumps out of thewater and lands on its side or back.husbandry behaviors — behaviors thatan animal is trained to do in order tofacilitate caring for that animal.environment — the total surroundingsand forces that act upon an organism,including other plants and animals aswell as physical factors such as light,heat, weather, and soil.learned behavior — behavior thatresults from experience.2learning — the process by which achange in behavior occurs as a resultof experience. 2004 Sea World, Inc.
Animal Behavior and Training K–3Least Reinforcing Scenario (LRS) — atSeaWorld, the consequence that followsundesired behavior, combined with thetrainer's signal for the animal to emitcalm behavior. The scenario has twoparts: (1) no reinforcement of the undesired behavior, and (2) the trainer’srelaxed signal for the animal’s calmbehavior. Following an LRS, the animalis reinforced for calm, attentive behavior.reinforce — to strengthen the occurrenceof a behavior by delivering a positivestimulus or consequence.reinforcer — a stimulus that strengthensbehavior.response — an activity of an animal thatresults from a change in the environment.reward — a reinforcer.shaping — the step-by-step process oftraining complex behavior.lobtail — to slap the tail flukes on thesurface of the water.marine mammal — a mammal adaptedto live in the marine environment anddependent on the ocean for food.signal — a motion, sound, or circumstance that communicates to an animal arequest to perform a particular behavior.social — living together in an organizedgroup, preferring to be among others.pod — a social group of whales ordolphins.spyhop — to rise vertically out of thewater so that the eye is above the surface.predator — an animal that eats otheranimals.prey — v: to hunt and eat other animals.n: an animal eaten by another animal.stimulus — environmental change thatbrings about a response from an animal.target — a focal point that directs ananimal toward a position or direction. 2004 Sea World, Inc.3
SeaWorld Teacher’s GuideAbout Animal BehaviorWhat is behavior?Behavior is the way an animal acts. Anyaction an animal does, or any responseto a stimulus is a behavior. Walking,swimming, flying, eating, blinking, andbreathing all are examples of behavior.Animals behave in certain ways for fourbasic reasons: to find food and water to avoid predators to reproduce to interact in social groupsBehaviors help animals survive.Animal behaviors mostly are strategiesfor survival. Some behaviors, such aseating, or escaping predators, are obvioussurvival strategies. But other behaviors,which also are important for survival,may not be as easily understood. Forexample, why does a flamingo stand onone leg? By tucking the other leg closeto its body, the bird conserves heat thatwould otherwise escape.work the pedals, and no fingers to graspthe handlebars.Animals aren’t human.Ethology is the scientific study of ananimal’s behavior in the wild. It is easierto observe and record behavior than it isto interpret it. When studying animalbehavior, observers must take care notto anthropomorphize (attribute humancharacteristics or motivations to animals).Are marine mammals intelligent?Sometimes people think that an animalis intelligent if it can be trained to docertain behaviors. But accurately ratingthe intelligence of animals is difficult.Trying to measure animal intelligenceusing human guidelines would beinappropriate. In fact, a reliable andconsistent intelligence test for humanshas yet to be developed.An animal survives by responding andadapting to a changing environment.In some cases, the animal learns whichresponses get desired results, andchanges its behavior accordingly.What is learned behavior?Animals learn some behavior throughexperience. In fact, scientists definelearning as a change in behavior as aresult of experience. For the most part,learning occurs gradually and in steps.An animal’s genetic makeup and bodystructure determine what behaviors arepossible for it to learn. An animal canlearn to do only what it is physicallycapable of doing. A dolphin can’t learnto ride a bike because it it has no legs to4For a flamingo (Family Phoenicopteridae)standing on one leg conserves body heat. 2004 Sea World, Inc.
Animal Behavior and Training K–3About Animal TrainingPeople have trained animalsfor thousands of years.Falconers have trained hawks.Dogs have been trained forhunting, for herding livestock, and for pulling sleds.Elephants have been trainedto pull and carry logs. Horsesand camels have been trainedfor riding and hauling. Today,people still train animals.Marine mammal trainingis a relatively new field.SeaWorld animal trainersbegan training bottlenosedolphins (Tursiopstruncatus) in 1963, beforethe first park opened.At SeaWorld, a killer whale presents its pectoral flipper forexamination and measurement. Such husbandry behaviorshelp trainers and veterinarians care for animals.Why do we train animals?opportunity to observe and learn directlyfrom live animals increases publicawareness and appreciation of wildlife.Through the years, millions of peoplehave visited zoological parks to seeanimals. Most people do not have theopportunity to observe these animalsin the wild. Visitors are not only entertained, but also educated. The uniqueMarine mammals at SeaWorld aretrained to hold still and remain calm andto present body parts for examination,measurement, and blood sampling.They get on a scale, and even urinatewhen signaled to do so for routinehealth checks.A trained killer whale (Orcinus orca) presentsits tail flukes for a blood draw at SeaWorld.Animal training has benefitted researchfor many years. By training animalsto respond to various stimuli in theirenvironment, researchers can gatherscientific information that would nototherwise be available. The informationgathered at SeaWorld, combined withthe results of field observations, has contributed to the body of knowledge aboutmany types of animals. For four decades,SeaWorld parks have led the way inmarine mammal training and research. 2004 Sea World, Inc.5
SeaWorld Teacher’s GuideMarine Mammal Training at SeaWorldTrainers reinforce desirable behavior.When an animal performs a behaviorthat produces a positive result, theanimal is likely to repeat that behavior.The positive result is termed a positivereinforcer because it reinforces, orstrengthens, the behavior.Humans learn by the same principles.Consider the behavior of studentsanswering questions in a classroom. Ifthe behavior is reinforced by attentionand praise, students are likely to repeatthe behavior (even if the answer is notcorrect). If no reinforcement (positiveattention) were to follow, repeating thatbehavior would be less likely.Marine mammal training at SeaWorld isbased on reinforcing desired behaviorswith a variety of rewards. Such rewardsare one way for SeaWorld trainers tocommunicate with animals. They let ananimal know when it has performeda desired behavior.What rewards are givento animals?For animals, one of the most commonrewards is food. Food is an example ofa primary reinforcer: it’s inherentlyfavorable, so an animal doesn’t have tolearn to “like” it. But to keep trainingsessions interesting and rewarding forthe animals, SeaWorld trainers use avariety of different reinforcers. Manyanimals seem to enjoy having their skinor fur stroked. Other rewards includesquirts from a water hose, chunks ofice, and lots of positive attention.Learning occurs in steps.Most behaviors cannot be learned all atonce, but develop in steps. This step-bystep learning process is called shaping.Many human behaviors are learnedthrough shaping. For example, whenchildren learn to ride a bicycle, mostbegin on a tricycle, go on to ride atwo-wheeler with training wheels, andeventually master a largerbicycle. Each step toward thefinal goal of riding a bicycleis reinforcing. To train ananimal to do a behavior,trainers usually break downthe behavior into small steps.Signals communicate desiredbehavior.At SeaWorld, animals aretrained to associate a signalwith each behavior they learn.The signal—which may bevisual, auditory, or tactile—isthe stimulus for the animal todo a particular behavior.A SeaWorld trainer asks Shamu to slide out.6 2004 Sea World, Inc.
Animal Behavior and Training K–3Marine Mammal Training at SeaWorldTrainers teach animals to “target.”Trainers use their hands as a focalpoint: animals are trained to cometo the trainer’s hand, touch it, andawait the next signal. When abehavior takes place farther away,a tool called a target is used as anextension of the hand.Just a a flagstick is a target thatdirects a golfer toward a golf hole,a target directs an animal towarda position or direction. For mostanimals, trainers use a target thatis a long pole with a foam ball onone end. Other targets include a tapon the glass at the side of the poolor an ice cube tossed into the water.This California sea lion has learned to follow a target.A trainers gently touches the target tothe animal, then reinforces the animal.The trainer repeats this several times.The animal learns that when it touchesthe target, it gets reinforced. The nextstep is to position the the target a fewinches away from the animal and waitfor the animal to touch the target. Whenthe animal moves toward the targetand touches it, the trainer immediatelyreinforces the animal. After severalrepetitions, the target is moved stillfarther away. Each time the animaltouches it, the trainer reinforces theanimal. Eventually the animal willfollow the target.Here’s an example of how a sea lionmight be trained to do a jump:First, the sea lion is reinforced fortouching a target on the water surface.Next, the trainer raises the target a fewinches above the water. The sea lionmust rise up to touch it, and is reinforced by the trainer. As the sea lionsuccessfully masters each step, thetrainer continues to raise the targethigher and higher above the water.Eventually the sea lion jumps entirelyout of the water.What about unwanted behavior?If a trainer requests a particularbehavior and the animal does notrespond, or the animal responds withundesired behavior, the trainer usesuses a technique called the LeastReinforcing Scenario (LRS).The LRS has two parts. The first part is aconsequence for incorrect behavior: thetrainer does not reinforce the animal.The second part is a stimulus providingan opportunity for reward: for two orthree seconds the trainer is relaxed andattempts no change in the environment.(Changes in the environment mayaccidentally reinforce the behavior.)This brief time period is a stimulus tothe animal to remain calm and attentive.Following an LRS the animal is reinforced for calm, attentive behavior. 2004 Sea World, Inc.7
SeaWorld Teacher’s GuideSeaWorld StarsUse these cards to help your students get started exploring the behavior of some marinemammals. Here are ideas for ways to use these cards in your classroom: Use the facts to help you prepare lessonplans and lead discussions in class. Copy and cut apart the cards. Distribute adifferent card to each cooperative learninggroup or to each student. Learn more about theanimals by visiting the school library or go tothe SeaWorld/Busch Gardens ANIMALS Website at seaworld.org. Groups may even adopttheir animal as a “mascot” while working onthe Animal Behavior and Training Unit. Copy and cut apart the cards. Distribute acomplete set to each student or group ofstudents. Students compare similarities anddifferences among various animals anddetermine which animals can do similarbehaviors.killer whaleOrcinus orcasize*:Males reachabout 6.1 m(20 ft.) and weight3,628 to 5,442 kg(8,000–12,000 lb.).Adult females are about 5.5 m (18 ft.)and 1,361 to 3,628 kg (3,000–8,000 lb.).behavior: Killer whales are fast and powerful swimmers. They jump, breach,lobtail and spyhop, much to the delight of whale watchers. Top predators,they often hunt cooperatively in pods. Sometimes they even slide out onsandbars or ice floes to catch seals and penguins.At SeaWorld, Shamu and friends inspire awe and thrill crowds as theydemonstrate their adaptations for living in the sea. Their powerful jumpsand breaches soak enthusiastic audiences.* killer whales in the North Atlantic 2004 Sea World, Inc. All Rights Reserved.8
bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatussize:Adults reachabout 2.5 to 3 m(8–10 ft.) and136 to 295 kg (300–650 lb.).Males are usually larger than females.behavior: Dolphins are social mammals that live in groups called pods. Dolphins in a podinteract and c
SeaWorld Teacher’s Guide 4 2004 Sea World, Inc. About Animal Behavior What is behavior? Behavior is the way an animal acts. Any action an animal does, or any response to a stimulus is a behavior. Walking, swimming, flying, eating, blinking, and breathing all are examples of behavior. Animals behave in certain ways for four basic reasons:
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