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CURRENT EVENT | January 16, 2020

Wolves Playing Fetch

The relationship between humans and dogs is a special one, and there are multiple theories about how it originated and how it has changed over time. All dogs evolved from wolves, and scientists are learning more about that evolutionary process through research about similarities and differences in the behavior of wolves and dogs. Listen to this story about a game of fetch and how it might inform scientists’ understanding of the history of the special relationship between species.

Story Length: 2:30

Listen to the Story:

SOURCE:

National Public Radio © 2020 National Public Radio, Inc. Used with the permission of NPR. All rights reserved.

01/16/2020


Listening Comprehension Questions

  • How do scientists think wolves and humans became friendly?
  • What was the researcher investigating when she tested whether a wolf pup would fetch a ball?
  • What observations surprised animal behavior researchers and why?
  • How did observations of wolves playing fetch inform scientists’ understanding of the relationship between dogs and humans?

Classroom Discussion Themes

  • Why might the discovery that some wolves fetch be exciting and important?
  • What do you notice about interactions between dogs and people? How are they similar to and different from interactions between wolves and people? Between cats and people?