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Whale Unit Lesson Plan Overview

A two-week cross-curricular unit to engage learners in an exploration of whales.

Language Arts Standards:
      1A - Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections.     
1C - Comprehend a broad range of reading materials.
      3C - Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes.
Science Standards:
     12A - Know and apply concepts that explain how living things function, adapt and change.
      12B - Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environment.
Math Standards:
     6B - Investigate, represent and solve problems using number facts, operations (addition / subtraction) and their properties and relationships.
      7A - Measure and compare quantities using appropriate units, instruments, and methods.
      8B - Interpret and describe numerical relationships using tables, graphs and symbols.

Day One - Introduction
     Make whale journals - for individual KWL, writing exercises, vocabulary, charts.
     Create a KWL chart - individual writing exercise then create a group chart filling in K & W sections only.
     Read - Whales of The World by June Behrens and 10 Things I KNow About Whales by Wendy Wax.
     Start a list of facts about whales of chart paper to review what has been learned.

Day Two - Fish are not Mammals, but whales are.
     ~ Venn Diagram fish and whale characteristics.
     ~Sing A Whale Is Not A Fish song to the tune of Farmer in the Dell.
     ~ Read Baby Whales Drink Milk by Barbara Juster Esbensen
     >Create Blubber Mitts - chart hypothesis and actual length of time students can leave their hand in the icy water with and without the blubber mitt.
     ~ Read Basic facts sheets describing whales - types of whales, whale facts, and pictures of whales in both Baleen and Toothed categories.
     ~Journal activity - write about how baleen and toothed whales are different, how are fish and whales different, and time estimation comparisions. Add vocabulary words to Vocabulary List pages in journals (baleen, blowhole, mammal and blubber). Add to whale fact list.

Day Three
     >Read Blue Whales by John Provost and Gray Whales by John Provost.
     >Write a list of facts about blue whales on chart paper.
     >How much does a baby whale weight? What could be used to equal the weight of a baby whale?
     >Use crete paper to measure the length of a Blue Whale. Allow students to mark the length of the Blue Whale with crete paper, writing Blue Whale facts on the paper (hang in hall).

Day Four
     >Read and discuss fact sheet describing anatomy of a whale, how they are different, how they are the same, and what whales eat.
     >Watch Field Trip video about whale watching.
     >Name and label whale anatomy diagram.
     >Read the book "Whale Watch."

Day Five - Test for understanding.
     Name whale anatomy sheet, forced choice and short answer questions including a word bank.
     Create origami whales - using blue construction paper squares.

Day Six
     Read Whales On the Moveby Christina Wilsdon and other facts about whale migration.
      Study data collected field work and translate into a final report.
     Track whale migration patterns using mapping skills.
     Chart and plot whale activities during migration.

Day Seven
     Read "The Humbacks Song" and "Orca's Song"
     Read about echolocation and listen to whale communications CD. (CD from Mrs. Anderson - Music Teacher)
      Visit www.enchantedlearning.com/whales for students to begin individual research a chosen whale.

Day Eight
     Read and discuss whale feeding habits.
     Experiment with 'bubble netting' using cheerios in water.
     Record results of bubble netting experiment - assess results.
     Review, visit www.whaletimes.org/whalekids.htm, explore website in pairs.

Day Nine Dangers to whales
     > Read Humphrey the Lost Whale and watch the Reading Rainbow video, Humphrey the Lost Whale which also includes footage of an actual whale watch.
     >Students will finish writing thier research papers in final form..
     > Read about a whale rescue. Ibis: A True Whale story.
     > Brainstorm and write about ways to prevent whale endangerment.

Day Ten Close and final Assessment through written test and journals.
     Final day for completed research papers.
     Going on a Whale Watch CD-ROM interactive activities.

Click on the links below to view individual detailed lesson plans.

Lesson One | Lesson Two | Lesson Three | Lesson Four | Lesson Five | Lesson Six | Lesson Seven | Lesson Eight | Lesson Nine | Lesson Ten

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Bibliography


Behrens, June., Whales of the World., Childrens Press, Chicago, 1987. A good overview of whales and clear photographes for visual presentation.

Behrens, June., Whale Watch., Reading Rainbow Book. Chilrens Press, Chicago, IL., 1978.

Esbensen, Barbara Juster., Baby Whales Drink Milk., HarperCollins, 1994.

Himmelman, John., Ibis: A True Whale Story. Scholastic, Inc., 1990 One person's own vision of how one whale was caught in a fishing net and rescued by caring people.

     *John Provost is a marine biologist and diver who has written this series of short informational books on whales.

Prevost, John F.,* Beluga Whales., Abdo & Daughters, Minnesota, 1995.

Prevost, John F.,* Blue Whales., Abdo & Daughters, Minnesota, 1995.

Prevost, John F.,* Gray Whales., Abdo & Daughters, Minnesota, 1995.

Prevost, John F.,* Humpback Whales., Abdo & Daughters, Minnesota, 1995.

Prevost, John F.,* Killer Whales., Abdo & Daughters, Minnesota, 1995.

Prevost, John F., Sperm Whales., Abdo & Daughters, Minnesota, 1995.

Sheldon, Dyan., The Whales' Song., Scholastic, Inc., March 1993.

Simon, Seymour., Whales., Harper Trophy, 1992.

Tokuda, Wendy and Richard Hall., Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story., Heian, Union City, CA., 1986.

Wax, Wendy and Della Rowland., 10 Things I Know About Whales., Contemporary Books, Chicago, IL, 1990

Wilsdon, Christina., Whales On the Move., Celebration Press, 1996.

                Humphrey the Lost Whale Reading Rainbow, - Video, Great Plains National Television Library and WNED-TV, Lincoln NEB., 1989.

www.enchantedlearning.com - Enchanted Learning has facts, activity pages and math graphs for whales.

www.quia.com - and interactive website for students to reinforce whale facts.

www.whaletime.org/whalekids.htm - informational facts for students to explore, whale story, and activities.

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