Lesson # 1

Right Whale Introduction (Introduction/Research)

Objectives: Students will research information on the right whale and gain understanding about right whale facts. The following information will be researched about the right whale:

1. General description
2. Skin, shape and fins
3. Social groups
4. Spouting — breathing
5. Anatomy
6. Size
7. Diet
8. Habitat
9. Reproduction
10. Life span
11. Population count

Materials:

• Writing tools
• Science journals
• Right whale literature
• Flip chart/writing materials

Procedure:

1. Students will come to the community learning area in front of the flip chart.
2. Students will brain storm ideas as a group about what they know and think that they know about the right whale. These ideas will be recorded on the flip chart, and displayed for all of the students to see.
3. Explain to the class that they will be split into groups and work as a team with right whale literature to generate whale facts that will be posted for all of the class to record in their science journals.
4. Split the class into groups and assign each group a topic to research. The categories will be:

• General description

• Skin, shape and fins

• Social groups

• Spouting — breathing

• Anatomy

• Size

• Diet

• Habitat

• Reproduction

• Life span

• Population count

1. Each group will have a poster board that a recorder will write the facts

that they have learned within the group and will present the information

to the class.

2. This information that the groups present and make a poster board for

will be displayed within the class for the duration of the right whale

teaching unit for reference.

3. Instruct each student to record all of the facts about the right whale

that each group researched within their science journals.

Follow Up Activities:

1. If time permits, the story The Right Whale named Metompkin: Her Story of Survival can be read http://whale.wheelock.edu/books/MetompkinStory/. Another suggestion is to read a chapter of this story each day that the right whale is being taught as an opening to the lesson.

 

Homework/Assessment:

Assess each member of the group by observing their research skills when gathering information about their assigned topic. Evaluate the quality and accuracy of each group’s poster with right whale information and facts. Observe each student’s science journal to ensure that they have correct information and all facts that are needed about the right whale.