Literacy Explorations

C They showed a preference only when food was placed overhead.

D They refused to reach into the container to fish out the food.

8 What happened to the kittens' paw preferences as they grew from birth to one year old?

A They started with a strong paw preference but lost it as they aged.

B At first, they used both paws, but as they grew older, they showed stronger paw preference.

C They only used their left paws for the entire first year.

D They showed a preference that was completely opposite to their mothers.

9 According to Dr. Wells, by what age do human children show clear hand dominance?

A Immediately at birth.

B By the time they are four or five years old.

C When they start learning to ride a bicycle.

D Not until they reach ten years of age.

10 What is the definition of the word "preference" as used in paragraph 8 of the text?

A A feeling of confusion or being unable to make a clear decision.

B A physical injury that limits an animal's ability to hunt.

C A feeling of liking or wanting one thing more than another.

D An ability to perform complex calculations or solve puzzles.

Unit: Choosing Sides Study Page 2 of 4

Scientific Field Journal

Student Comprehension Packet

Part II: Short Answer Questions (1-3)

Directions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences. You MUST include specific text evidence or direct quotes to support your claims.

1 Explain what a "dominant side" is according to the text, and identify what parts of an animal's body might show this trait.

2 How did the peanut butter tube experiment change how scientists interpreted the chimpanzees' initial "termite fishing" behavior? Use specific details from the text.

3 Compare the results of the cats' simple reaching tasks with the results of the tuna fish container experiment. What do these differences tell scientists about when animals show paw dominance?

Unit: Choosing Sides Study Page 3 of 4

Scientific Field Journal

Student Comprehension Packet

Part II: Short Answer Questions (4-5)

Directions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences. You MUST include specific text evidence or direct quotes to support your claims.

4 How does the development of paw dominance in kittens over their first year compare to the development of hand dominance in human children? Cite text evidence.

5 What is the author's tone or perspective at the end of the article, and what does the phrase "choosing a side seems to come in, well... handy" imply? Support your explanation with text details.

Field Observation Connection

Think of a pet you have at home or an animal you have observed in the wild. Based on the studies described in the text, design a simple challenge you could give that animal to test whether it has a dominant side. Write down your hypothesis below!

Unit: Choosing Sides Study Page 4 of 4

B Used both at first, then developed a stronger preference.

C They only used their left paws.

D Showed a preference opposite to their mothers.

9 According to Dr. Wells, by what age do kids show hand dominance?

A Immediately at birth.

B By four or five years old.

C When they learn to ride a bicycle.

D Not until ten years of age.

10 What is the definition of "preference" as used in paragraph 8?

A A feeling of confusion or indecision.

B A physical injury that limits movement.

C A feeling of liking or wanting one thing more.

D Ability to solve complex puzzles.

Unit: Choosing Sides Study Page 2 of 4 • Teacher Key

Teacher Evaluation Key

Answer Key & Scoring Guide

Part II: Short Answer Answers (1-3)

Scoring Rubric (3 pts): 1 pt for accurate answer, 1 pt for complete sentences, 1 pt for clear cited text evidence.

1 Explain what a "dominant side" is according to the text, and identify what parts of an animal's body might show this trait.

Exemplar Answer: According to paragraph 1 of the text, a "dominant side" refers to the hand or foot that an individual consistently uses to perform "accurate, well-controlled movements." The author explains that depending on the animal, this trait can appear in various limbs, stating that scientists want to see if animals have "dominant hands or feet—or paws, flippers, or claws."

2 How did the peanut butter tube experiment change how scientists interpreted the chimpanzees' initial "termite fishing" behavior? Use specific details from the text.

Exemplar Answer: Initially, because chimpanzees used their left hands to "termite fish," they appeared left-handed. However, when eating peanut butter from a tube, they held the tube with their left hand but "used a finger on the right hand to do the hard part" of getting the food. Dr. Hopkins realized that the chimps used their "weaker hand [left] to pull out the termites" but used their "dominant hand [right] to swipe off the insects and put them in their mouths." This proved that the chimps are actually right-handed.

3 Compare the results of the cats' simple reaching tasks with the results of the tuna fish container experiment. What do these differences tell scientists about when animals show paw dominance?

Exemplar Answer: On the simple task of reaching for overhead or moving objects, the cats "showed no preference; they used either paw." But when given the harder, more controlled task of fishing tuna out of a container, "the cats showed a preference." This indicates to scientists that lateral dominance is not obvious on simple, daily movements, but becomes clear and preferred when the task requires "smaller, more controlled movements" or higher levels of challenge.

Unit: Choosing Sides Study Page 3 of 4 • Teacher Key

Teacher Evaluation Key

Answer Key & Scoring Guide

Part II: Short Answer Answers (4-5)

4 How does the development of paw dominance in kittens over their first year compare to the development of hand dominance in human children? Cite text evidence.

Exemplar Answer: The development is extremely similar. At first, young kittens use both paws, but as they age, they establish clear paw preferences. Dr. Wells states, "as they grew older, the cats showed a stronger paw preference." The text explains that this "fits with what scientists observe in children." For humans, dominance is not present immediately at birth, but rather, "by the time kids are four or five years old, they show hand dominance."

5 What is the author's tone or perspective at the end of the article, and what does the phrase "choosing a side seems to come in, well... handy" imply? Support your explanation with text details.

Exemplar Answer: The author adopts a lighthearted, playful, yet informative tone at the end. The pun "handy" has a double meaning: it literally references physical hands or limbs (which animals choose a side with), and it idiomatically means "useful" or "advantageous." This implies that having a dominant side helps animals perform tasks much more easily, efficiently, or with greater control, giving them an evolutionary or daily survival advantage.

Field Observation Scored Guide

Teacher Grading Tip: Award full points for any student experiment design that includes: (1) A specific task requiring high coordination (e.g. step-ups, reaching for food hidden inside a toy), (2) Repetitive testing to demonstrate preference vs chance, and (3) A logical, testable hypothesis about whether the animal is right- or left-sided.

Example: "I will put peanut butter inside a dog toy and count which paw my dog uses to pin it down over 10 trials. I hypothesize he will use his right paw because he usually steps forward first with that leg."

Unit: Choosing Sides Study Page 4 of 4 • Teacher Key