Whales. Ocean Related Curriculum Activities.

The ocean affects all of our lives. Therefore, awareness of and information about the interconnections between humans and oceans are prerequisites to making sound decisions for the future. Project ORCA (Ocean Related Curriculum Activities) has developed interdisciplinary curriculum materials designed to meet the needs of students and teachers living in Washington State. Each activity packet provides the teacher with a set of lessons dealing with a particular topic related to the oceans. Included are student worksheets, lesson plans, a vocabulary list, and a bibliography. This activity packet designed for grade levels 4-6 focuses on whales and dolphins. It is designed to provide students with an awareness of Quileute Indian and modern methods of whaling and a comparison of the two. Students investigate the mammalian characteristics of the Cetaceans and learn about some of the aspects of whale biology that suit them to life in the oceans. The techniques and problems of estimating whale populations are emphasized. Also included is a simulated television news special, "The Battle Over the Bowhead," in which students use much of the information included previously in this packet. (TW)