Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whale Blubber

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine the purpose and characteristics of whale blubber. They work together to complete an experiment to test the fat as an insulator. They discover how humans use materials to protect them from the cold.
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Does Whale Blubber Work?

For Teachers K - 1st
Students perform an experiment to find out how whale blubber keeps whales warm in cold temperatures. They use Ziploc bags lathered in shortening to simulate whale blubber. They put their hands in cold water, both with and without the bags.
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Exploration

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore whales. In this animal adaptation and whale instructional activity, students access prior knowledge about whales from previous lessons, then use background knowledge to predict the eating strategies of a baleen whale and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Big on Blubber: How do Whales Stay Warm?

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore biology by conducting a science experiment in class. In this whale anatomy lesson, students identify the use of whale blubber for the animal to stay warm in cold waters while utilizing ice, vegetable oil, plastic bags...
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 plan, 2nd graders discuss mammals and define their five characteristics. Students complete a whale worksheet and define differences...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whale Adaptations

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore whales and how they have adapted to survive in the ocean.  In this whale adaptations lesson students complete several activities that allow them to investigate animal adaptations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Underwater Animals

For Teachers K - 5th
Students investigate mammals and blubber. In this science lesson abut the sea, students perform an experiment that will help them in discovering how blubber keeps sea mammals warm.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Maintaining Body Heat

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students observe and compare heat loss in various objects with surface area-to-volume ratios and transfer this comparison to the physical characteristics of animals in their environment. In small groups they conduct an experiment...
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic Instructor: Wonderful World of Whales

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Have your students ever wondered what it is like to be a whale swimming in ice cold water. In this lesson plan they can experience that as well as learn other facts about the lives of whales.