BIOLOGY • WHALE OF A TALE

Title: A Whale of a Tale

(Scale Measurements)

Grade Level(s): 6-8

Introduction: Did you ever wonder how big some of the underwater animals really are? We are going to be using scale drawings to examine the real lengths of several different types of whales and dolphins. Pictures and models are small objects that can represent large objects when you understand how to use a scale measurement. It helps build connections between reality and symbolic representations.

Learner Objective(s):

• The student will be able to measure scale drawings using rulers.
  
  
• The student will be able to take that measurement and set up a proportion to solve and find out real life measurements of certain whales and dolphins.
  
  
• The student will be able to measure using metric measurements to solve problems.

Florida Sunshine State Standards: Math:MA.B.1.3.4, MA.B.2.3.1, MA.B.2.3.2, MA.B.3.3.1, MA.A.3.3.2, Science: SC.H.1.3.2, SC.H.1.3.5

Competency Based Curriculum: Math-M/J-3-II-7-A, II-8-A, II-9-B, II-10-B, II-12-B, II-13-C, Science - M/J-1-II-7-A, I-1-A

Materials:

Rulers
Pencil
Paper
Worksheet

Activity Procedures:

1. Give each student a worksheet containing scale pictures of whales and dolphins.
   
   
2. Have students measure each picture in inches and then again in centimeters.
   
   
3. Have students set up ratios and proportions to be used to get actual measurements in feet and meters.

Student Assessment:

1. Allow students to answer critical thinking questions assigned by teacher about sizes of certain species of whales and dolphins.
   
   
2. Allow students to use ratio and proportions to get actual measurements of any items when given a scale picture or map.

Activity Extensions:

1. Encourage students to research more sea animals and their size. (Science, Language Arts)
   
   
2. Encourage students to learn about the habits of different sea animals and how this relates to their size. (Science, Math)
   
   
3. Encourage students to inspect different maps and use their scales to figure out distances in miles. (Social Studies, Math)
   

Home Learning Activity:

Find a picture of a whale or dolphin that we have not studied and make up five questions using ratio and proportion to figure out actual sizes using the scale drawing.

References/Related Links:

www.seaworld.org