Science Animals of the Worldusually ages 9–11

Animal Intelligence

Explore animal intelligence and complex behaviour — chimpanzees and crows use tools, dolphins recognise themselves in mirrors, octopuses solve puzzles and escape enclosures, elephants mourn their dead, meerkats teach their young to handle scorpions — understanding that many animals think, learn, and have social lives more complex than once believed

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Gives at least 4 examples of animal intelligence or complex behaviour
Explains what 'tool use' means and names at least 2 tool-using animals
Discusses how scientists test animal intelligence (mirror test, puzzle boxes, observation)
Shows understanding that intelligence takes different forms in different species

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Try this together

If your child watches a video of a crow using a stick to get food from a tube, can they explain that this shows animal intelligence and give other examples of animals that use tools, solve problems, or show complex behaviour?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Animal Communicationages 7–9Animal intelligence builds on understanding of communication as complex behaviour

Predator Hunting Strategiesages 7–9Predator hunting strategies demonstrate intelligence

Senses, Brain & Responsesages 9–10Animal intelligence builds on curriculum coverage of animal senses and brain responses

Animal Intelligencethis skill · ages 9–11

Unlocks

Sexual Selectionages 12–13Sexual selection and game theory depends on animal intelligence and complex behaviour

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

Show candidate curriculum codes · 2 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1).

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2S4H02low confidenceScience · Levels 3 and 4 · Science as a Human Endeavour strand

VC2S6H02low confidenceScience · Levels 5 and 6 · Science as a Human Endeavour strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

Biodiversityages 9–11 Endangered & Extinct Speciesages 9–11 Invasive Speciesages 9–11 Protecting Endangered Animalsages 9–11

All Animals of the World skills →