Curated OER
Researching Orca Whales
Students research orca whales as they begin to create a research report. Guidelines for research are provided, as well as photos, websites, etc.
Curated OER
Blubber Gloves
The ways that animals adapt to their environments is quite remarkable. In this life science lesson plan, fifth graders take a look at some of the ways that aquatic animals that live in Arctic or Antarctic waters survive. They perform an...
Curated OER
Helping Right Whales - Right Now
For this whales worksheet, students answer eight questions referring to the right whales found in the Atlantic Ocean. Students read a map to answer three questions and five questions are multiple choice.
Curated OER
Sea Connections: Marine Ecosystems
Students identify producers and consumers from marine ecosystems and describe the balance among them in the environments. After constructing a food chain from a marine ecosystem, they examine human activities that can upset the balance...
Curated OER
Exploring the National Marine Sanctuaries: A Lesson in Habitats and Human Impacts
Students examine the marine sanctuaries in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. They discover the interdependence of all living things and work together in groups to create a poster about what they have discovered during the lesson. They...
American Museum of Natural History
Find My Plankton Baby Picture
Get a better understanding of babies in the sea. The class learns about the two kinds of plankton. They then determine the baby pictures of eight marine animals given a picture of the adult and some hints about the larvae. When scholars...
Curated OER
SeaWorld Word Puzzle
In this SeaWorld word puzzle, students search for words related to SeaWorld in San Antonio, Texas. They identify types of shark and whales, as well as specific locations in the park. A list of 24 words is available with the puzzle. ...
Curated OER
A Whale of a Problem
Students evaluate the possible causes contributing to the decline of the killer whale population from a number of differing perspectives. They present their findings in a talk show format and in letters of advocacy regarding
Curated OER
Oddball Out: Birds, Fishes, Marine Mammals
In this science worksheet, students analyze 4 animal pictures in a row. Students circle the animal which is different from the others. There are 4 rows of pictures. Answers are provided upside down at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Gray Whales
Explore the majestic grey whale while deepening your understanding of animal adaptations. Grey whales from head to toe are specifically designed to fit their environment. Learners will examine the ways in which the flippers, head, body,...
Curated OER
Blue Planet: Seas of Life - Tidal Seas
After viewing the video Blue Planet: Seas of Life, students review oceanic concepts. In this earth science lesson plan, students reflect on the effect tides have on living things and conduct research to create a "tidal trivia" game....
Curated OER
Rescuing a Beluga Whale
Pupils research particular characteristics of the Beluga whale as it applies to the role in each student is assigned. Students work cooperatively to design a proposal for a new home for the baby Beluga. Pupils present their proposal to a...
Curated OER
Gray Whales on the Move
Students study whale migration and their natural history. For this migration lesson students plot whale migration on a map and describe their ecosystems.
Curated OER
Baleen Whales vs. Toothed Whales
Second graders review mammal characteristics and study two types of whales. For this mammal study lesson, 2nd graders discuss mammals and define their five characteristics. Students complete a whale worksheet and define differences...
Curated OER
Easy Whales Crossword Puzzle
In this vocabulary worksheet, students examine facts about whales by solving a 6 clue crossword puzzle. Students also color the picture.
Curated OER
Plankton / Phytoplankton
Students discuss the importance of plankton in the ocean ecosystem. In this biology lesson, students identify the different types plankton by observing them under the microscope. They explain how plankton population affect global climate.
Curated OER
Create an Underwater Scene
Learners apply knowledge of underwater ocean life by creating an ocean life scene with marine animals and plants placed at appropriate ocean depths.
Curated OER
Become a Marine Biologist for the Day
Students brainstorm different ways to track whales, dolphins, and propoises as a class. In groups, they discuss the positives and negatives of each method. After watching a video, they identify the characteristics of cetacean species...
American Museum of Natural History
Rubber Blubber Gloves
Using gloves, shortening, tape, and a lot of ice, participants experience the feeling of having blubber. The experiment's eight steps follow an informative page about blubber and animals that have it.
NOAA
Endangered Species Origami
Make sea turtle or whale origami in a hands-on activity that provides instructions for folding and facts for learning about each.
ARKive
Dinner at the Reef
Fine dining can happen anywhere, even in the coral reefs. Budding environmentalists explore marine food chains, predator-prey relationships and the importance of a balanced ecosystem. These important concepts are facilitated through a...
Curated OER
Biodiversity
Students explore the biodiversity of the national marine sanctuaries. In this science lesson, students view a video about Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Students work...
Curated OER
Orca United Nations
Middle schoolers study the differences between sets of data and explain how organisms are adapted to their environment. In this marine mammals lesson students analyze data based on set criteria.
Curated OER
Satellite Tracking
Students apply satellite tagging data to investigate questions related to open-ocean animals, their habitats, and their migratory behaviors. They determine how physical or biological factors determine organism behavior using a data...