Lesson Planet
Search educational resources
  • Sign In Try It Free
  • AI Teacher Tools
    • Discover Resources Search reviewed educational resources by keyword, subject, grade, type, and more
    • Curriculum Manager (My Content) Manage saved and uploaded resources and folders To Access the Curriculum Manager Sign In or Join Now
    • Browse Resource Directory Browse educational resources by subject and topic
    • Curriculum Calendar Explore curriculum resources by date
    • Lesson Planning Articles Timely and inspiring teaching ideas that you can apply in your classroom
    • Our Story
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
  • Pricing
  • School Access
    • Your school or district can sign up for Lesson Planet — with no cost to teachers
      Learn More
  • Sign In
  • Try It Free

Hi, what do you want to do?

Create a lesson plan
Create a lesson plan
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Find a teaching resource
Find a teaching resource
Why Don't Whales Have Legs? Lesson PlanWhy Don't Whales Have Legs? Lesson Plan
Publisher
Curated OER
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Lesson Plan

Why Don't Whales Have Legs?

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Students are given a variety of materials and are asked to design a heat loss experiment that results in a reasonable explanation of "Why don't whales have legs?" students work with the theory of natural selection.

7 Views 6 Downloads
Concepts

evolution, the theory of evolution, adaptations

Additional Tags

adaptations, contrivances, evolution, science
Show More Show Less

Resource Details

Grade
9th - 12th
Subjects
Science
2 more...
Resource Type
Lesson Plans
Audience
For Teacher Use
Duration
4 days
Instructional Strategy
Inquiry-Based Learning
Year
1992
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use

See similar resources:

Lesson Plan

Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Campaign

PBS
The I-STOP law was designed to regulate the distribution and tracking of prescription drugs. After reading an article about its signing and implementation, middle and high schoolers work together to come up with their own ideas for an...
6th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Vertebrates II

NOAA
Mammals of the ocean unite! Or not. The 20th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program investigates how warm-blooded marine mammals survive in water. In the class activity, learners use...
9th - 12th Science
Lesson Plan

Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Learning About Opioids

PBS
Feeling high is not the only side effect of abusing prescription opioids. Middle and high schoolers learn more about specific painkillers, including Fentanyl, Oxycodone, and Clonazepam, as well as their common brand names and extensive...
6th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Sonar & Echolocation

Discovery Education
A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...
9th - 12th Science
CCSS: Designed
Instructional Video

What is the Evidence for Evolution?

Stated Clearly
Would you believe whales and hippos share a common ancestor? The video discusses the evidence from a variety of scientific disciplines supporting evolution, focusing specifically on whales and their connections to hippos. The narrator...
11 mins 6th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Video

Into the Bat Caves of Kenya: Part 2

The Brain Scoop
Field research is dirty work! Join a team of research scientists from the Field Museum in the second installment of a two-part series that is part of a larger playlist exploring mammals. The team continues their search for bats in...
9 mins 6th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Video

Extinction of Species

FuseSchool
Extinction: i's not just for dinosaurs! Young ecologists examine the alarming facts about the causes of mass extinctions by watching this engaging Fuse School Evolution video. Topics include previous extinction events, living fossils,...
3 mins 9th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Website

Around with World with DNA

American Museum of Natural History
A mammalogist, ornithologist, ichthyologist, and a conservation geneticist share their work and their hopes that their research will help protect and save endangered species and their habitats.
6th - 12th Science
Website

Around the World with DNA

American Museum of Natural History
DNA analysis could be what saves some animals from extinction. An interactive lesson shows learners how DNA information proves variation among animals of the same species and how stakeholders use that information to make decisions. Easy...
6th - 12th Science
Interactive

What's This? Life at the Limits

American Museum of Natural History
There are some amazing ways species evolve to survive. From large ears to sneezing salt, learners read about these interesting adaptations in an interactive lesson. Great to supplement an in-class lesson, it also works well as a remote...
6th - 12th Science
Try It Free
© 1999-2026 Learning Explorer, Inc.
Teacher Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Resources

Sign up for the Lesson Planet Monthly Newsletter

Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • Health
  • Language Arts
  • Languages
  • Math
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education
  • Visual and Performing Arts
View All Lesson Plans

Discover Resources

  • Our Review Process
  • How it Works
  • How to Search
  • Create a Collection

Manage Curriculum

  • Edit a Collection
  • Assign to Students
  • Manage My Content
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Use