Gorilla Life Lessons

Engaging Critically 

ACELY1701ungroup | EN3-5Bungroup 

Explore reasons why an author may use the listicle text structure to increase engagement.  

Read the article in conjunction with a nonfiction article on the same topic with a different text structure. A suggested supplementary text is the National Geographic Kids article on Mountain Gorillasungroup.  

After reading both texts, students use a Same Topic, Different Text Structureungroup graphic organiser (found on page 14 of the PDF file) to identify similarities and differences in the authors’ approaches. Direct students’ attention to the texts’ structural features rather than their content. For example, the National Geographic article is written like an encyclopedia entry, with an information box, objective tone, three straightforward sub headings and informative captions under each image. In comparison, the article Gorilla Life Lessons is written in the form of a listicle and therefore has a more subjective and humorous tone. The list is structured around an extended metaphor of the gorilla as a teacher and facts are embedded within conversational closing statements “... it’s their home and their pantry in one ... “leaves lots of time for playing around and catching some zzzzz’s”. 

Provide students with a definition of a listicle: an article written in list format with the purpose to both educate and entertain the reader. Each list item will usually contain a few sentences or a paragraph explaining the topic. Show student a range of age-appropriate listicles and ask them to identify the key structural features: catchy headline, byline which introduces the content, subheadings presented in a numbered order, facts, conversational tone, images/GIFs. Suggested web pages include:  

• 10 Adorable Animals Guaranteed To Make You Grinungroup 
• 22 Amazing Indoor Activities for Kids' Rainy-Day Funungroup 
• 21 Fun And Delicious Recipes You Can Make With Your Kidsungroup 
• 9 of the most mind-blowing facts about the Universeungroup 

Break students into groups to discuss and evaluate the text structure of listicles using the thinking tool PMI - Plus Minus, Interestingungroup. Provide students with the prompt statement: Using listicles to structure a nonfiction text. Groups can complete this task collaboratively and online, using different coloured sticky notes on a whiteboard or digital whiteboard such as Google Jam board, to record their findings and projecting their Jam board to discuss with the class.