Curated OER
A Tale of a Whale: And Why It Can Be Told
Middle schoolers examine the characteristics of particular whales. In this whale characteristics lesson, students discover the methods scientists use to track whales and attempt to match the unique pattern of callosities themselves. A...
Curated OER
Whale Portfolio
Students culminate their study of right whales by designing a portfolio of their work. They illustrate the facts they studies and design an informational brochure about the right whale that can be used as a resource by others.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Learning Lab: Tale of a Whale and Why It Can Be Told
Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package in which students work like marine biologists studying the North Atlantic right whale. As part of this learning exercise, students will research field photographs of one of these...
Enchanted Learning
Enchanted Learning: All About Whales
This site provides a great deal of information about whales.
MarineBio Conservation Society
Marine Bio: Southern Right Whales
Discover useful information about southern right whales including description, behavior, range, habitat, diet, breeding, and conservation status.
MarineBio Conservation Society
Marine Bio: Right Whale Dolphins
Illustrated reference guide features useful information on right whale dolphins with facts on physical characteristics, behavior, range, habitat, diet, and conservation status.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: North Pacific Right Whale
The right whales have been driven nearly to extinction as the species preferred by commercial whalers and have been hunted in spite of international bans. There are perhaps several hundred in the western Pacific, and perhaps only a...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: North Atlantic Right Whale
Northern right whales were hunted for at least 800 years until they became so rare that it was no longer commercially viable to hunt them. Biology made them and southern right whales the "right" whales to hunt, especially when whaling...