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Ducksters

Ducksters: Blue Whale for Kids: Learn About the Giant Mammal.

For Students 1st - 9th
What are blue whales? Kids find out about the largest mammal on earth that lives in the ocean.
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Handout
Science4Fun

Science4 Fun: Whale

For Students K - 1st
Learn about the appearance, diet, habitat, conservation, and other fun facts about the largest living animal.
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Handout
Canadian Museum of Nature

Canadian Museum of Nature: Blue Whale

For Students 9th - 10th
The blue whale is believed to be the largest animal that has ever existed on Earth, even larger than dinosaurs were. These gentle creatures are at risk and only about 10,000 remain today. Learn some interesting facts about them here.
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Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Blue Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
As far as we know, the blue whale is the largest animal ever to have existed on the planet. Weights up to 190,000 kg (as much as 30-40 African elephants) have been recorded. Learn more about the Balaenoptera musculus, more commonly known...
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Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Northern Right Whale Dolphin

For Students 4th - 8th
With no dorsal fin, a slender body shape that tapers steadily toward the tail, and small flippers and flukes, the northern right whale dolphin appears to be built for speed. It has been clocked at 34 km per hour and can dive as deep as...
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Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Ginkgo Toothed Beaked Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
Almost nothing is known of the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale. Nothing about its behavior or feeding habits has been reported, and its geographical distribution is estimated from a very small sample. Learn more about the Mesoplodon...
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Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Short Finned Pilot Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
The short-finned pilot whale is one of two species of the genus Globicephala living in North American waters, mostly in tropical to temperate waters of the continental shelf. "Globicephala" translates directly to the most prominent...
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Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Long Finned Pilot Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
Long-finned pilot whales live in the cool waters of the North Atlantic continental shelf and slope. Pods move seasonally inshore or offshore following their prey, mainly squid and Atlantic mackerel. Learn more about the Globicephala...
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Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: True's Beaked Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
Found along the North American coastline from Nova Scotia to the Bahamas, True's beaked whale also inhabits temperate waters off the coast of Europe, and there are records of the species from near Australia and South Africa. Squid beaks...
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Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Sei Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
Unlike other rorquals, Sei whales have a dolphin-like dorsal fin. They are also unusual in using two different methods to fill their mouths with water during feeding - they both gulp and skim-feed. Learn more about the Balaenoptera...
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Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Stejneger's Beaked Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
Thirty-one of the 48 sightings of Stejneger's beaked whale have come from Alaskan waters. It is suspected this species favors deep waters, including the Aleutian Trench and the Aleutian Basin, which is some 3,500 m deep, rather than the...
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Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Killer Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
Killer whales live in all the oceans between the Arctic and Antarctic ice packs. Given this enormous range and their predatory lifestyle, it is not surprising that they are adaptable, with an excellent memory, intelligence, and a...
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Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: False Killer Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
For reasons unknown, the false killer whale is among the most common cetaceans involved in mass strandings. The sheer size of these episodes is hard to absorb - 835 animals were beached in the largest documented case. Learn more about...
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Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Cuvier's Beaked Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
Cuvier's beaked whales are rarely seen because they stay in deep water and tend to avoid boats. They are known to live in every ocean, except near the North and South Poles, and most seas. Learn more about the Ziphius cavirostris, more...
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Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Gray Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
Gray whales are bottom feeders. They roll to one side and lower the lip to scour and siphon the bottom for tiny crustaceans, especially amphipods which are known as "sand fleas." Learn more about the Eschrichtius robustus, more commonly...
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Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Humpback Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
Humpback whales are among the best-studied cetaceans, yet they are still among the most mysterious. Among the mysteries are the reasons for their songs and the complex social behaviors that accompany them. Learn more about the Megaptera...
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eBook
Blackdog Media

Classic Reader: "The Whale Cure" by Louis Becke

For Students 9th - 10th
Sitting inside a deceased whale was once considered a way to cure rheumatism. This short story by Louis Becke centers around this concept. Read the full text on this site.
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eBook
Blackdog Media

Classic Reader: "The Whale Tooth" by Jack London

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the full text of Jack London's short story "The Whale Tooth" on this site.
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Handout
Canadian Museum of Nature

Canadian Museum of Nature: Bowhead Whale

For Students 9th - 10th
The bowhead whale is on the endangered list as efforts continue to be made to bolster its population. Details about this Arctic animal can be found here.
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Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Bowhead Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
Bowheads live in icy Arctic seas. A smooth back with no dorsal fin, a blowhole placed in a high crown at the top of the head, and a thick layer of blubber for insulation equip them for this environment. Learn more about the Balaena...
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Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Melon Headed Whale

For Students 4th - 8th
This dark gray species is actually in the black dolphin family. It is smaller than almost all the other North American members of this family and is approximately the size of a bottlenose dolphin. Learn more about the Peponocephala...
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Website
Other

Fishin for Facts Library

For Students 9th - 10th
A comprehensive site that includes a wealth of information on whales, sharks, penguins and squid.
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian National Zoo: Zoogoer Magazine: Killer Cultures

For Students 9th - 10th
This article covers a variety of topics related to Killer Whales including Killers on the Move, A Tale of Two Tribes, Deciphered Dialects, Eyes on the Genes, and more.
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Activity
Other

Newfoundland's Grand Banks: Basque Whalers in Southern Labrador 1540 1610

For Students 9th - 10th
A description of early whaling by Basque sailors off the coast of Labrador.

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