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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Researching Orca Whales

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Pupils research orca whales as they begin to create a research report. Guidelines for research are provided, as well as photos, websites, etc.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Blubber Gloves

For Teachers 5th
The ways that animals adapt to their environments is quite remarkable. In this life science lesson, fifth graders take a look at some of the ways that aquatic animals that live in Arctic or Antarctic waters survive. They perform an...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Helping Right Whales - Right Now

For Teachers 4th - 5th
In 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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the National Marine Sanctuaries: A Lesson in Habitats and Human Impacts

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sea Connections: Marine Ecosystems

For Teachers 6th - 10th
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...
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Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Find My Plankton Baby Picture

For Students 6th - 12th
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...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

SeaWorld Word Puzzle

For Students 3rd - 5th
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. ...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Whale of a Problem

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners 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
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oddball Out: Birds, Fishes, Marine Mammals

For Teachers 5th - 6th
For 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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gray Whales

For Teachers 4th - 6th
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,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Blue Planet: Seas of Life - Tidal Seas

For Teachers 6th - 8th
After viewing the video Blue Planet: Seas of Life, students review oceanic concepts. In this earth science lesson, students reflect on the effect tides have on living things and conduct research to create a "tidal trivia" game. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rescuing a Beluga Whale

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students 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. Students present their proposal...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gray Whales on the Move

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study whale migration and their natural history.  In this migration lesson plan students plot whale migration on a map and describe their ecosystems. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Baleen Whales vs. Toothed Whales

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders review mammal characteristics and study two types of whales. In this mammal study lesson, 2nd graders discuss mammals and define their five characteristics. Students complete a whale worksheet and define differences...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Easy Whales Crossword Puzzle

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
In this vocabulary worksheet, students examine facts about whales by solving a 6 clue crossword puzzle. Students also color the picture.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plankton / Phytoplankton

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Create an Underwater Scene

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students apply knowledge of underwater ocean life by creating an ocean life scene with marine animals and plants placed at appropriate ocean depths.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Become a Marine Biologist for the Day

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...
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Activity
American Museum of Natural History

Rubber Blubber Gloves

For Students 6th - 12th
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.
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Activity
NOAA

Endangered Species Origami

For Students 3rd - 5th
Make sea turtle or whale origami in a hands-on activity that provides instructions for folding and facts for learning about each.
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Lesson Plan
ARKive

Dinner at the Reef

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biodiversity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners 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. Learners work...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Orca United Nations

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners study the differences between sets of data and explain how organisms are adapted to their environment.  In this marine mammals lesson plan students analyze data based on set criteria. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Satellite Tracking

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Learners 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...