WONDERFUL WHALES
An Underwater Adventure
Teacher Page

A WebQuest for 4th Grade Students on Whales

Designed by 

Crystal Bayley
cbayley@pacificu.edu

 three orca whales

Introduction | Learners | Standards | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits | Student Page
 


Introduction

This lesson was developed as part of the whale science unit for fourth grade students. It will be most beneficial if students have a base understanding on whales and have learned some beginning vocabulary terms. 

This lesson is designed to give students a deeper understanding about whales. Students will be divided into several small groups to search the linked websites. Each group will look for information on a particular whale species. Once they find all of their required information, they will individually design either an informational poster or PowerPoint to present to a small group of their classmates. Students will work on their presentation skills, refine their research ability, and practice working cooperatively with their peers.


Learners

This lesson is anchored in fourth grade science and involves social studies, technology, and math to a lesser extent. The lesson can be easily extended to older grade levels and has several variations. Students will need to have a basic understanding of computer skills prior to beginning this lesson. They will need to be familiar with using the Internet to research information on the provided websites. They may need some review on presenting information to their classmates that is educational and interesting. Students who choose to create a PowerPoint slide show will need assistance with the program.

Curriculum Standards

As a result of this lesson, students will work on meeting Oregon benchmarks and Hillsboro School District Power Standards. The lesson is designed to meet science standards in addition to addressing several other subjects. 

Social Studies Standards Addressed

  • Understand how human activity can can impact the environment.

Science Standards Addressed

  • Group or classify whales based on a variety of characteristics.
  • Learn to identify the producers, consumers, and decomposers in a given habitat.
  • Understand and explain the relationship between animal behavior and species survival.
  • Describe changes in the environment that have caused the population of some species to change.
  • Identify some conditions that might cause a species to become endangered or extinct.

The Arts Standards Addressed

  • Create and present works of art.
  • Evaluate one's own work of art, orally and in writing.


Process

This lesson will need to be completed in three different parts. It may be easier to separate this lesson into four different days. Each day should take about 35-45 minutes to complete.Students will be allotted two days to create their PowerPoint and informational poster. The final day will be used for students to present their information. Students will present in small groups of peers for this final presentation. Another option is for each student to present to the entire class. However, whole-class presentations may take more time depending on how long students present their information. The lesson is designed to fulfill science requirements, however students are also gaining valuable experience with technology, public speaking, and cooperating with their peers.

This lesson is easy for novice and experienced  teachers, however, prior experience with using the Internet and Microsoft PowerPoint is needed. Students may have some difficulty reading through some of the websites for retrieving the necessary information or navigating the PowerPoint. It is recommended that there are individuals there to assist them in finding the whale information. Some fourth graders may need more experience with public speaking. Try to create a casual environment so that they feel comfortable speaking in front of their peers.

Follow these steps to ensure that you accomplish the task and ask your teacher if you have any questions.

PART I: Research

  1. First you'll be assigned to a pod of 2-3 students. (You may want to choose the groups ahead of time or allow your students to choose on their own. You may want to look at ability level of your class when making this decision.)
  2. Then your group will be assigned a type of whale to research by drawing the name of of a hat. (There are 9 different types of whales listed in this activity. For class sizes of 27 or less you will want to have at least three students in a group. If your class is larger, you may want to have more than one group present on each type of whale.)
  3. Once you've received a type of whale, you will then access the Internet to find out information in relation to the topics. (Your class will need to use a computer lab in order to allow enough time for each group to research their specific whale.)
  4. Look at the links below to find the necessary information and fill in the information on the recording sheet. (A copy of the recording sheet should be given to each student to help them organize information found on their whale.)
  5. As a pod, you will need to look for the information below on your specific whale. 
    1. The average length of an adult.
    2. The average weight of your whale species.
    3. The type of food your particular whale eats.
    4. The areas of migration your whale tends to go.
    5. The scientific name for your whale.
    6. And any other interesting facts or information your group would like to share. 
  6. Students will then individually work on their own poster or PowerPoint presentation.
Here are the websites for each type of whale to be studied in alphabetical order. You may want to browse through each sight before having the students partake in this lesson so that you are familiar with the information.
blue whale
Blue Whales:
http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/bluewhl.htm
http://kidsplanet.org/factsheets/blue_whale.html
http://school.discovery.com/schooladventures/planetocean/bluewhale.html
http://www.oceanlight.com/html/blue_whale.html

bowhead whale
Bowhead Whales:
http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/bowhead.htm
http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/marine/bowhead.php
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/species/Bowheadwhale.shtml
http://www.omplace.com/omsites/discover/BOWHEAD/bowg.html


Gray Whales:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/species/Graywhale.shtml
http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/graywhl.htm
http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/gray_whale.html
http://www.omplace.com/omsites/discover/GRAY/grayg.html

humpback whale
Humpback Whales:
http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/humpback.htm
http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/humpback_whale.html
http://www.npca.org/marine_and_coastal/marine_wildlife/humpbackwhale.html
http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nnnl/education/cetaceans/humpback2.htm

minke whale
Minke Whales:
http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/MinkeWhale.htm
http://www.minkewhale.org/
http://www.omplace.com/omsites/discover/MINKE/minkeg.html
http://www.projectminke.com/projectminke.htm

narwhal whale
Narwhal Whales:
http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/Narwhal.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/3500/Narwhal.html
http://www.whalesfilm.com/narw.htm
http://www.americazoo.com/goto/index/mammals.227.htm

orca whale
Orca (Killer) Whales:


PART II: Informational Poster
  1. Your pod will need to combine the information you gathered to create a poster to present to your classmates. (Each group will need a poster board for this project. It is a good idea to have a few extra just in case.)
  2. You may want to use a graphic organizer or a worksheet to help organize your information. (The recording sheet is available to print for student use. Each student should have a copy of the recording sheet to organize their information.)
  3. The poster your pod creates will need to include all of the information listed below on the Poster Checklist. (Make an overhead transparency or write the checklist on the board in the classroom.)
  4. You will also need to include at least 1 hand-drawn picture of your whale species on your poster. Also, at least 2 Internet-printed images. (This helps students who are creative and gives them an area to excel at. Having students incorporate images will help the aesthetic appearance of the poster. Remind them that it does not have to be perfect. Maybe even have them draw the whale on an additional sheet of paper and then transfer it to the poster.)
  5. Students who are creating a PowerPoint presentation will need to include at least three images in their slides. A minimum of 5 slides will be expected for each presentation. (Students may need extra assistance with copying and pasting images of whales onto their slides. One image can be from the clip art tool on the computer.)
Poster Checklist:
___ Whale name (common)
___ Scientific whale name
___ Average length of an adult
___ Average weight
___ Type of food it eats
___ Any interesting facts or information about your whale
___ At least 1 hand-drawn image (poster only)
___ At least 2 printed images from the Internet (3 images for the PowerPoint)
You may find that your students want more time to create their poster and PowerPoint presentation. I would recommend that additional time is set aside for those students or they can have the option of taking the poster home to work on it. The posters and PowerPoint should not take more than two class periods to create.

PART III: Class Presentation
Each group presentation should be from 5-7 minutes.
  1. Each student will present their information to a small group of peers.
  2. All of the information on the checklist and recording worksheet will need to be discussed during the presentation. They will need to allow a few minutes for questions or comments after presenting.
  3. Encourage the students to be creative during their presentation.

Variations

There are several variations that can be made with this lesson. Changes can be made to the size of groups and the type of presentations the students give.

The students could work in pairs to complete this task or in larger groups. If students work in pairs they can find more information on their specific type of whale. They would also be able to create a power point presentation instead of a poster. This would help improve and develop their computer skills and be a good activity for children with multiple intelligences.

If students work in larger groups, they can be asked to separate into smaller groups to find specific information. Once they have had an opportunity to research their whale, they could all come together and share what they have learned. This would help students who are having challenges using the Internet or students who may need more social-structured activities.

Another way to vary the information presentation is to have a jigsaw or jeopardy-type game. A jigsaw can be done with using approximately 5 types of whales. Each group is given a whale to research. After the information is gathered they review what they have learned. Then each member of the groups is counted off from 1-5. All of the 1s meet and spend some time talking about their whale, and so on. After everyone has had a chance to discuss ad share their whale information, the groups can get back together to review all of the information. This type of activity really gives students a good sense of accomplishment and helps develop social skills. Plus, it is much easier for them to present their information in smaller groups than to the entire class.

An extension of the poster presentation or jigsaw could be a jeopardy-type game. After all students have had a chance to learn about the whales, questions can be written and a class game could be played. The students would enjoy this activity and it would be easy to adapt to older students.


Resources Needed

To complete this lesson you will need: 

  • Computer lab (with Internet access) for whale research 
  • 1 poster board for each group
  • Copy machine
  • A copy of the recording sheet (for each student)
  • White drawing paper (10-20 sheets)
  • Overhead
  • Printer available for printing images
  • Scissors (one per group)
  • Glue (one per group)
  • Pens, pencils, markers, or crayons (variety for each group)

It is recommended that there is at least one teacher needed to supervise students in the computer lab. If you are unfamiliar with the Internet, you may need the assistance of the librarian or computer lab instructor. Additional adults (aides or parent volunteers) would be able to assist students using the Internet and clarifying information, but it is not a requirement. You will need to make sure that your class has at least 35-45 minutes allotted for their whale research.  Students who choose to create a PowerPoint presentations will need time in the computer lab. Adults assistance is crucial to the project being completed in two class periods.


Evaluation

The students will be evaluated on their individual participation as well as their group participation. The following rubric scores students on a variety of areas in all three parts of the lesson. Students will also be asked to use this rubric to evaluate their own work on this project.

Beginning

1

Developing

2

Accomplished

3

Exemplary

4

Score

 

Find accurate and quality information about your whale

 
Only 1 or 2 facts were  found. They were not  accurate or quality work.
There were 2-3 facts were found. They were accurate and  useful.
There were 4-5 facts found. They were accurate and of quality work. 
There were 6 or more facts that were very informative and quality work. 

 

Use the websites listed to find information
 
Only one website was viewed to find information.
At least two websites  were used to find information on whales.
 Three websites were used to collect information on whales.
All four websites were used in the research process.

 



Create an informational poster on your whale

 

 
The poster is unorganized and difficult to read.  The hand-drawn images and Internet photos are missing from the poster.
The poster is not well organized or easy to read. The hand-drawn illustration is missing or only 1 image from the websites is included.
The poster is organized and clear. There is 1 hand-drawn illustration and 2 pictures from the website included on the poster.

The poster is organized, information is clear, and there is more than 1 hand-drawn illustration. More than 2 pictures from the websites are included.


Create an informational PowerPoint on your whale
The PowerPoint was unorganized and difficult to follow. There were no images included on the slides. Only 1 or 2 total slides were created.		 The PowerPoint is not well organized or easy to read. There is only 1 image used on the slides. There were 3 to 4 total slides created. The PowerPoint is organized and clear. There are at least 3 images from the websites visited included in the slides. There were at least 5 total slides created.
The PowerPoint is organized, information is clear, and there are more than 3 images included.  There are 6 or more slides created for the presentation.

 






Presentation of poster and information

 

Only one person spoke during the presentation. The poster was not used during the presentation. Only 1-2 pieces of information  was shared with the class. There was not eye contact with the audience. The overall presentation was not organized.

The poster was explained during the presentation. Most of the group members spoke during the presentation. Only some of the information was shared. The presentation had limited organization. Some of the information was unclear.
All of the group members participated in speaking. Most of the required information was shared during the presentation.  The information was clearly spoken. Members know and understand the information covered.
There was an equal amount alloted to each member of the presentation. All of the required information was presented. The overall presentation was organized and  the information was understood and presented clearly.

 


Work cooperatively in a group

The student did not participate with their group members. Information was researched individually.
Students worked together, but did  not work cooperatively.
Students worked together and got along well
Students worked cooperatively as a group. They were able to help each other when problems arise.



Conclusion

This lesson is a very hands-on approach to learning about a particular whale. The students will not only become more familiar with their species of whale, but they will also improve on their technology skills, presentation ability, public speaking, and cooperating with classmates to complete a task. This WebQuest is designed to increase student independence and incorporates critical thinking questions. The students in your class will enjoy the websites and information on the amazing underwater mammals.

For more more information on whales, visit the links below.
About whales in general:
www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/
http://www.seaworld.org/ask-shamu/faq.htm#whales
http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/whlparts.html


Credits & References

Whale Images:
First Orca whale image image found at www.marinelandcanada.com/attractions/killerwhales/
Beluga whale image found at http://www.spawar.nsvy.mil/sandiego/technology/mammals/animals.html
Blue whale image found at http://seashepherd.org/whales/whales.html
Bowhead whale image found at http://www.allthesea.com/Bowhead-Whales.html
Gray whale image found at http://royaldutchshellplc.com/category/whale/
Humpback whale image found at http://www.victorialodging.com/whales/gray-whales.html
Minke whale image found at http://www.undersea.com.au/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=7
Narwhal whale image found at http://www.snowwowl.com/animallore/rlanimalswater1.html
Orca whale image found at http://www.searealm.com/information.html?genus=Orcinus&species=orca
Pilot whale image found at http://www.circe-asso.org/english/index.html?sensib_en.html&1
Right whale image found at http://www.ens-newspire.com/ens/nov2005/2005-11-02-02.asp

Books: Here are a list of books that could assist students in creating questions and writing answers for their specific whale species.

Baby Whales Drink Milk by Barbara Juster Esbensen
Whales by David Jones
Whales and Dolphins by Steve Parker  

Thanks to all of my classmates who have helped me find fun and interesting whale websites. Also, a big thanks to Mark Bailey who helped me understand the importance of using WebQuests in the classroom.


Last updated on April 1,2007. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page

 Copyright Crystal Bayley © all educational uses permitted
Direct comments or questions to cbayley@pacificu.edu