Friends of Washoe is committed to education. Teaching our fellow humans respect, responsibility and compassion for our fellow apes through education is one of our primary goals. We hope that all who learn about Friends of Washoe, especially youth, will come to realize that human exploitation must be replaced with human compassion, that responsible citizenship involves treating our fellow organic beings with humility and respect, and that the essence of a productive life is one that seeks to protect the Earth so that all organic beings can live their lives naturally and free from objectification and exploitation.
Handouts
The following handouts are free for the use of teachers
Curricula
If you are interested in teaching your students about chimpanzees and empowering them to be better stewards of the natural world, you might consider implementing Next of Kin: A Compassionate, Interdisciplinary Science Curriculum. Developed in a collaborative effort between Friends of Washoe and the New England Anti-Vivisection Society (NEAVS) it was designed to help K-12 students understand the importance of conservation and compassion toward chimpanzees and all living creatures. Some material is a bit outdated, but the chimpanzee facts, and history of sign language studies is accurate. You can download the elementary curriculum here.
