OVERVIEW

Swishing with Whales

OVERVIEW

The lesson is designed as an integrated learning experience, which incorporates video, based technology with other multimedia as a means for the students to have a basic understanding of the names, kinds, sizes, and some characteristics of whales.

ITV/PRIMETIME SERIES

Smithsonian Video Library

The Magnificent Whales

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

recognize the names of the gray whale, fin whale, pilot whale, sperm whale, humpback whale, killer whale, right whale, and the blue whale.

recognize basic descriptions of each whale

develop an appreciation of the whales

develop spatial relationships while creating whale shapes using tangrams

MATERIALS

markers

glue

1 bag of individual letters for each group

computer with PowerPoint presentation

LCD viewer

overhead projector and screen

overhead tangrams shapes

overhead whale tangrams sheets

computer with internet connection tangram-whale activity sheets/1per group

sheets of tagboard

scissors

box of art materials

video:The Magnificent Whales

(per student/group)

1 bag of individual letters/group

1 sheet of tangram shapes/student

tangram-whale activity sheet/group

sheet of tagboard for each student in group

glue/group

markers/group

scissors/group

box of art materials

VOCABULARY

Gray whale

Fin whale

Pilot whale

Sperm whale

Humpback whale

Killer whale

Right whale

Blue Whale

PRE-VIEWING ACTIVITIES

Read the story The Whales by Cynthia Rylant

Teacher :

“Does anyone remember the names of the whales that was mentioned in the book?(Blue Whale, Humpback Whale, Sperm Whale, Narwhale Whale, Beluga Whale, Gray Whale, Right Whale.)

“These are some of the whales which we will see while viewing the video.Would someone tell something about the Blue Whale that you learned from listening to the story?”(Largest whale)“ Do you remember what the humpback whales like to do?”(Each has its own song to sing; changes as it grows older)

FOCUS ON VIEWING

To give the students a specific responsibility while viewing state:“You are going to see a video that will show some of the whales that were in the story.It will show the names of the whales, list some characteristics of the whales and will define some words relating to the whales.”
Be prepared to answer questions about each whale after and during the viewing of the video.”

VIEWING ACTIVITIES

Teacher :

“Find the letter (a ) from the letters in the bag.Place the letter in front of you.Next, find the letters (g, r, and y). Place these letters in front of you.Now, make a word using all the letters.Does anyone have the name of a whale?These letters spell the name gray for the graywhale.”This is one of the whales that we will view from the video today.Now we will watch a video on the Gray Whale.Listen to see if you can find the answer to these questions: What kind of whale is a gray whale?What does the word baleen mean?What is attached to the gray whale?”

Resume the video at Gray Whale

Pause:Pause the video at the word Fin Whale

Teacher:“What kind of whale is a gray whale?(Baleen)What does the word baleen mean?(No teeth but strainers in the mouth)What is attached to the gray whale?(Barnacles with white lice) Now find these letters from the bag (n, and f, and the vowel I).What word did you make with the letters?(Fin)We will view the video to answer this question: What are some characteristics that identify the Fin Whale?”

Resume:Resume the video at the word Fin Whale

Pause:Pause the video at the word Pilot Whale

Teacher:

“What are some characteristics that identify the Fin Whale?”(Large dorsal fin; swiftest; 15-20’ blowhole; a baleen whale; eats invertebrates.)Place all the letters back in the bag; find the letters (l, t, p, and the vowel o and i).

What word can you make from these letters?(Pilot)This is the name of another kind of whale.While listening to the video, listen for some characteristics that make this whale unique?”

Resume:Resume the video at the word Pilot Whale

Pause:Pause at the word Sperm Whale

Teacher:“What are some characteristics that make the Pilot whale unique?”(Short finned; toothed whale; rounded foreheads with black colorations; eats schools of herring.)Find the letters (s, m, p, r, and the vowel e) What word can you make with the letters?(Sperm)

This is the next whale that we will view in the video.Listen to find the answer to the questions: How deep can a sperm whale dive?How long can the sperm whale stay under the water before come up for air?”

Resume:Resume the video at the word Sperm Whale

Pause:Pause the video at the word Humpback Whale

Teacher:“How deep can a sperm whale dive?(Dive about one mile down)How long can the sperm whale stay under the water before coming up for air?(About one hour or 60 minutes)Find the letters (p, h, m, b, c, k, and the vowels u and a).What whale can you make from the letters?(Humpback)We will listen to the video to learn some facts about the humpback whale.Listen to find the answer to the question: What is one unique feature of the humpback whales?”

Resume:Resume the video at the word Humpback Whales

Pause:Pause the video at the word Killer Whales

Teacher:“What is one unique feature of the humpback whales?(They have unique songs-each population has its own unique song.)Find the letters (k, l, l, r, and the vowels e and i) Put these letters together to make another whale name.Does anyone know this whale?(killer whale)Now we will view the video to find some information about the killer whale. What family does the killer whale belong?”What does the killer whale eat?

Resume:Resume the video at the word Killer Whale

Pause:Pause the video at the word Right Whale

Teacher:“What family does the killer whale belong?”(Dolphin) What does the killer whale eat?(Eats small fish and blue whales)“Now, find the letters (r, g, h, t, and the vowel i) What whale name did you make?(Right whale)Now, let’s listen to find: What are the large bumps called on the whale’s head?What kind of whale is the right whale?”

Resume:Resume the video at the word Right Whale

Pause:Pause the video at the word Blue Whale

Teacher:“What are the large bumps called on the whale’s head?(Callosities)What kind of whale is the right whale?(Baleen)

This will be the last whale that we will view in the video.Find the vowels (u and e, and the letters b, l,)Does anyone know the name of this whale?(Blue Whale)Listen and answer the questions: What does the blue whale eat?How much does it eat in a day?How old does it live to be?

Resume:Resume the video at the word Blue Whale

Pause:Pause the video at the end of the Blue Whale

Teacher:“What does the blue whale eat?(It eats crustaceans)How much does it eat in a day?( About 2 tons a day.)How old does it live to be?(It lives to be about 60 years old)

POST VIEWING ACTIVITIES

Teacher:“Tell what you saw in the video.”

“Would someone share with the class the names of the whales that we saw while viewing the video?(Gray, Fin, Pilot, Sperm, Humpback, Right Killer, Blue whales.)Now we are going to use tangrams to create whale shapes.Each group will be given a different whale shape to create.Use all the seven-tangram shapes.After creating the whale shape using the seven pieces, glue the tangram shapes of the whale on the sheet of tagboard.Use the art materials on the table to create a habitat for the whale.Name the whale and write three interesting facts about the whale at the top of the tagboard under the name of the whale.Then the group will share the information with the class.You will have about 10 minutes.”

Pause:Group Work

Teacher:“Now we will create the whale tangram- shapes using the overhead.Now each group will share with the class the whale shape that the group created,the name of the whale, three interesting facts, and the whale’s habitat?”

Group:I

Group:II

Group:III

Group:IV

Group:V
ACTION PLAN

Students will be able to:Plan a field trip to the Gulfarium

Arrange for a speaker from the Gulfarium or Marine Aquarium to come and speak to the class

Plan a field trip to Sea World

EXTENSIONS

Science

Use the Internet to research a whale of the student’s choice

Write in a science journal descriptions of the whales viewed during the video

Construct a Fin Whale using plastic

Take the students from other classes on a tour to see the Fin Whale.(The students may work on the activities or projects inside the whale.Whale music may be played.Filmstrips of whales may also be shown inside the whale.)

Language Arts

Create a poem, rap song, or skit about the whale

Write a letter to a friend telling about the whale

Use PowerPoint or Hyperstudio to create a slide presentation about the whales and draw pictures to place with the slide presentation

Social Studies

Using a map, reference book, and the Internet sites to plotthe migration patterns of the whales

INTERNET CONNECTIONS

Internet Websites

Whale Activities

http://www.whaletimes.org/

Whales Australia

http://www.clearlight.com/~kid/whales/hbwhales.html

Sperm Whales

http://www.worldkids.com/critters/endangered/whalespm.htm

RESOURCES

Ames,Lee J. Draw 50 Sharks, Whales, and Other Sea

Creatures

Behrens, June. Whalewatch

Bunting, Eve. The Sea World Book of Whales

Ericson, Anton. Whales and Dolphins

Hoke, Helen. Whales

McGowen, Tom. Album of Whales

Miller, Susan. Whales and Sharks and Other Creatures of the Sea

Palmer, Sarah. Blue Whales

Posell,Elsa Z. Whales and Other Sea Mammals

Prevost, John F. Blue Whales

Prevost, John F. Humpback Whales

Prevost, John F. Killer Whales

Sibbald, Jean H. Sea Mammals

Sheldon, Dyan. The Whales’ Song

Steig, William. Amos and Boris

Ames,Lee J. Draw 50 Sharks, Whales, and Other Sea Creatures