The One And Only Ivan

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“A Protest for Ivan and Ruby”

In this activity, students will design a sign to protest the poor treatment of Ivan and Ruby in the mall.

After the community becomes aware of Ivan’s desire for Ruby to become part of the zoo, the community rallies around the unfair treatment of the animals in the mall. Design a sign as though you are a member of Ivan’s community and intend to defend him against Mack’s unjust treatment. On your poster, outline details from the novel pointing to Ivan’s unfair treatment. Then, create a written statement describing specific hardships the animals have endured under Mack’s care and that can be made to the reporters investigating Ivan’s treatment. Consider these points as you design your poster and prepare your written statement.

• What slogan will you create for your poster that is relevant to the hardships Ivan and Ruby endure?
• What pictures or symbols can you place on your poster to make it visually appealing to passersby?
• What elements of abuse and mistreatment will you include in your written statement to reporters?

Share your poster with peers, describing the slogan, the images, and how they, in your opinion, best embody the treatment of the animals at the mall. Then, describe the elements of animal abuse outlined in your written statement using evidence from the novel to support your response.

Teaching Suggestion: Students may find it helpful to discuss the events that led up to Ruby’s rescue and how they can convey a message about the treatment of Ivan and Ruby in a memorable way. Additionally, students may find it helpful to discuss how Mack mistreats the animals and how that treatment may be relayed in a written statement to news reporters.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who require an additional challenge may find it beneficial to predict Bob’s future based on his character, attitudes, and behaviors in the text. Consider asking students to use what they know about Bob’s past to construct a prediction of his story in the sequel, The One and Only Bob. Students with visual impairments may not be able to complete the activity as written. A suitable alternative could be to have those students write a speech for reporters to take the place of creating protest signs. 

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Ruby’s arrival at the mall changes Stella’s and Ivan’s thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes.

• How does Ruby cause changes in Stella and Ivan? (topic sentence)
• Describe the changes that overcome Ivan and Stella, touching on their perspective toward their living situation and their reflection on their pasts as wild animals.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain the character attributes of Ruby that inspire change in Ivan and Stella.

2. Ivan introduces Julia by saying, “We are both great apes, and we are both artists.” (Chapter 16)

• What is the role of art in the relationship between Julia and Ivan? (topic sentence)
• Describe why art is important in the relationship Julia builds with Ivan, how it enables the two to communicate, and how art plays an important role in the novel’s plot.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain what Julia’s relationship with the animal indicates about the novel’s theme of The Relationship Between Animals and Humans.

3. Ivan describes the zoo as a “wild cage” and a place where Ruby can lead a better life.

• What is the comparison Ivan makes between the wild, a zoo, and the mall? (topic sentence)
• Explain Ivan’s perspective on living in the wild, the zoo, and the mall. Then, explain which option Ivan believes is best for an animal based on text details.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain why you believe Ivan advocates for Ruby to go to a zoo rather than be returned to the wild. Consider Ivan’s own experience acclimating to the zoo in your response.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Ivan and his companions are trapped within the mall, while Bob can roam freely as a stray dog. Consider Bob’s character and the role he plays as a friend to Ivan in the novel. Incorporate multiple details into a brief paragraph to explain why Applegate included an animal whose life isn’t controlled by humans and why Bob’s perspective is unique because of this attribute. Use quotes from the novel to support your response.

2. Mack’s callous behavior toward the animals is offset by his apparent attachment and past relationship with Ivan. Consider Mack’s character attributes and the formation of his character through his personal experiences. In an essay of at least three main points, describe Mack’s character and whether Applegate allows the reader to empathize with his character. Then, explain how Mack’s relationship with the animals relates to the novel’s theme of The Relationship Between Animals and Humans. Reinforce your response by citing evidence from the novel.

3. After being relocated to the zoo, Ivan struggles to assimilate to the lifestyles and habits of the other gorillas in his troop. Consider the alterations made to Ivan’s character as he becomes the leader of his gorilla troop. In two or three paragraphs, analyze the changes in Ivan’s character and discuss whether Ivan retains any character traits he acquired while living in the mall. Describe how the changes in Ivan are connected to the novel’s theme of The Transformational Power of Friendship and Loyalty. Use evidence from the novel to support your response.

Multiple Choice and Long Answer Questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, exams, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. How does Applegate convey Ivan’s character traits through the formatting of her book?

A) Ivan’s care with words is depicted in short passages.

B) As an artist, Ivan uses images to convey important details in the novel.

C) Ivan’s strength and anger are depicted in brief language.

D) Ivan’s complicated view of the world is portrayed in long sentences.

2. What is the symbolic significance of cages in the novel?

A) It indicates the divisions between friends in the mall.

B) It represents the divide between humans and animals.

C) It embodies the moral divide between humans and animals.

D) It illustrates the division between the animals’ perspectives.

3. Based on Ivan’s description of his life at the mall, what can the reader infer about Ivan’s feelings toward his life before Ruby’s arrival?

A) He is happy and engaged.

B) He is selfish and cruel.

C) He is sullen and angry.

D) He is bored and lonely.

4. Which statement best describes how Ruby changes Ivan’s perspective on his identity?

A) Ivan’s lack of patience is emphasized because of Ruby’s frequent questioning.

B) Ivan feels he is a true gorilla because he must care for and protect Ruby.

C) Ivan no longer feels the need to be cared for by Mack and Bob.

D) Ivan begins to recognize the importance of friendship and family.

5. What is the significance of the connection between Julia and Ivan’s artistry?

A) Julia feels as though she can understand Ivan’s emotions through art.

B) Because of his art, Ivan can understand Julia in a way George cannot.

C) It enables them to communicate with one another.

D) Ivan illustrates his love for Julia and the animals through his drawings.

6. What first prompts Ivan to confront the reality of his captivity?

A) He becomes envious of the freedom Bob has as a stray dog.

B) Stella dies, causing Ivan to reflect on his life in a cage.

C) Ruby describes her experiences with humans who helped her out of a mud pit.

D) He recalls his past, reflecting on how he was wronged.

7. What transformation takes place in Ivan after he assimilates into the gorilla troop?

A) He learns the value of companionship with other gorillas.

B) He begins to behave like a gorilla and abandons his artwork.

C) He embraces his identity as unique and strong.

D) He no longer thinks about his experiences with Mack.

8. What is the significance of Ivan’s description of nature when he becomes part of the zoo?

A) Ivan has not been exposed to a natural environment since infancy and enjoys it.

B) Ivan has never seen the natural world before and is shocked by its beauty.

C) Ivan fears his natural surroundings because he has been locked in a cage.

D) Ivan is unimpressed by the makeshift natural environment of the zoo.

9. What does Ivan believe to be the purpose of a true silverback gorilla?

A) Pretending

B) Protection

C) Grooming

D) Artistry

10. What word best describes Ivan’s feelings toward the zoo when he arrives?

A) Excited

B) Suspicious

C) Timid

D) Courageous

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. Consider the meaning of the phrase “the One and Only” in the novel. How does the phrase take on new meaning as the novel progresses?

2. Stella describes zoos as places where “humans make amends” (Chapter 74). What does Stella mean by this statement? Why might it be immoral to release an animal like Ivan into the wild? Use evidence from the novel to support your response.