This document provides resources for teaching students about whales using technology. It includes websites where students can research whales, look at pictures, watch videos and read blogs. It also includes podcasts and videos about whale conservation. Worksheets and activities are suggested that allow students to demonstrate their understanding, like writing about why they enjoyed a book about whales. Apps and online games are also mentioned that make learning about whales engaging.

1. Under the Sea: Whales
rd
3
Grade
By: Nicole Olsen

2. Technology Integration Rationale
Children’s minds are constantly swimming with imaginative
thoughts. When a specific topic captures a student’s
attention, they will be willing and eager to learn as much as
they can. We can use technology to perform research on
whales, look up pictures of whales, and watch informative
videos. Since we can’t interact with whales up close, technology
will allow for the next best thing!

3. Internet Content
• All of the sources are reliable and can be seen
cited within the “notes” portion under each slide.
• Images and links can be clicked in order to
advance to the website on which it was found.

4. Blog
This blog supports the protection of all wildlife.
Simply typing “whales” into the search bar will
bring up many different blog posts about whales.
Children can learn that there are many people
out there who are passionate about saving
whales and wildlife in general.
For example, this link is a recent blog post about
whales:
http://www.defendersblog.org/2013/12/placesun-right-whales/

5. Podcast
This podcast explains how the addition of manmade noises like sonar, ships, and oil digging
machines, are severely risking the health of
marine animals such as whales and dolphins.
Children can learn that wildlife safety is
important, and that sometimes man-made
creations are risking the lives of animals.
http://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/podcasts/2013/09/blinded_noise.html
#.UuRG0Hn0CMF

6. Video

7. Video #2

8. Internet Resources
Save The Whales: This nonprofit organization has the aim
of informing adults and children about sea life. The
website includes a whale song, options to adopt a
whale, information about whales, etc.
Bluevoice.org: This organization works to help save our
oceans and its animals such as whales and dolphins. This
website includes a blog, breaking news, web films, and
much more!
Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC): This
conservation website allows supporters to adopt their
own whale! They give information about each whale
that can be adopted, a mini biography of the whales!

9. Kidspiration

10. Teaching Materials 1
After reading a book about
whales, students can
complete this worksheet
which includes the title of the
book, the author, and “Why
the book was a whale of a
good book!” This allows the
students to give their opinion
as to why they enjoyed the
book and what they learned.

11. Teacher
Materials 2

12. Teacher Materials 2 Continued
This story and worksheet are perfect for working
on comprehension skills of a
short, informational passage. Students will
read the information given about whales and
answer the questions provided.

13. Teacher Materials 3
This website is a
wonderful tool for
teachers to use for
mathematics. Students
will complete the pipe
in order to provide
water to the whale and
rescue it! The chains of
numbers can be
changed in order to
differentiate. (The
student would need to
place the 4 pipe next to
the 6 pipe in order to
create 10).

14. Teacher Material 4: There’s an App for
that!
This free downloadable App, called Whale
Alert by EarthNC, provides maps in which
viewers can see where whales are located in
our oceans! It also provides routes that
shouldn’t be taken in ships and much more!
This would be a fun App for students to look
at considering it shows the likely habitats
and areas in which whales live!

15. Subject-Specific Resource
Readwritethink.org provides teachers with a
lesson plan that can be used to teach students
about whales! A book would be read aloud in
class, and afterwards, students would be
required to create their own questions as well
as write letters. This is a great resource for a
literacy lesson!

16. Uses of the Internet
Merriam-Webster: Visual Dictionary Online:
This website would be a great supporting source of
the whale topic. It provides dictionary definitions
of all sorts of marine animals and provides
multiple pictures of the different types of species.
The Marine Mammal Center: This general website
gives information about all different types of
marine mammals. Students can simply click on
the different types of whales to find out more
information.

17. Web 2.0
The Whale and Dolphin
Conservation has their
own Facebook page! This
is a great tool because it
provides
pictures, videos, news
updates, and posts by
supporters. Teachers
conducting the same unit
can collaborate, find
pictures, and use videos
from this Facebook page.

18. View Me On Slideshare!