Ilyanna's Whale Week Adventure!

A one-week unit study exploring the amazing world of whales through reading, science, writing, and movement.

Materials Needed for the Week:

• Reading: A selection of non-fiction whale books from the library (e.g., National Geographic Kids series, If You Were a Whale by Shelley Gill, The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson for a fun fiction read). Access to a computer for short educational videos (e.g., National Geographic Kids, SciShow Kids).
• Art & Craft Supplies: Large paper or a journal ("Whale Fact Journal"), colored pencils, crayons, markers, blue and white paint, paintbrushes, modeling clay or play-dough, a shoebox, construction paper (blue, green, brown), scissors, glue, string, cotton balls.
• Science Experiment Supplies: A large bowl or tub, water, a fine-toothed comb or small sieve/strainer, pepper flakes or glitter (to act as "krill").
• Movement & Games: A blindfold or scarf, soft balls or balloons, pillows, blankets, and other household items for an obstacle course.

Daily Lesson Plans

Day 1: What is a Whale?

Focus Question: Are whales big fish or something else entirely?

• Reading (20 mins): Read an introductory book about whales. Focus on the key characteristics: they are mammals, they breathe air, they are warm-blooded, and they give birth to live babies that drink milk.
• Science & Discovery (25 mins):
  1. On a large piece of paper, draw a big Venn Diagram with two overlapping circles. Label one circle "Whales" and the other "Fish."
  2. Discuss the differences and similarities. Ask Ilyanna questions like, "How do fish breathe? How do whales breathe?" and "Do fish have hair? Do whales?"
  3. Fill in the diagram together.
     • Whales Circle: Breathe air, warm-blooded, have hair (a little!), give live birth.
     • Fish Circle: Breathe water with gills, cold-blooded, have scales, lay eggs.
     • Overlapping Section: Live in water, have fins/tails, are vertebrates.
• Writing & Creative Expression (15 mins):
  • Start your "Whale Fact Journal."
  • On the first page, write today's date and the title "What I Learned About Whales."
  • Write down at least three amazing facts you learned today. Draw a picture of a whale coming to the surface for air.
• Movement (10 mins): "Whale Breathing & Breaching"
  • Breathing: Lie on the floor. Practice whale breathing—take a very deep, slow breath in, hold it for a few seconds, then blow it out forcefully through your mouth, like a whale clearing its blowhole ("Thar she blows!"). Repeat 5 times.
  • Breaching: Crouch down small on the floor. On the count of three, jump up as high as you can, reaching for the sky, just like a whale breaching out of the water! End with a big, soft splash back on the floor.

Day 2: The Two Big Families: Baleen vs. Toothed

Focus Question: How can a giant Blue Whale survive by eating tiny little krill?

• Reading (20 mins): Read about the two main types of whales. Focus on a baleen whale (like a Humpback or Blue Whale) and a toothed whale (like an Orca or Sperm Whale). Compare their size, what they eat, and how they eat.
• Science & Discovery (20 mins): "Baleen Filter Feeder Experiment"
  1. Fill a tub with water. Sprinkle in some "krill" (pepper flakes or glitter).
  2. Explain that a baleen whale takes a giant gulp of water and food.
  3. Use your hands to scoop up a big mouthful of "water and krill" from the tub. Now, how do you get just the food?
  4. Take the fine-toothed comb (the "baleen"). Slowly and carefully pour the water from your hands through the comb back into the tub. The comb will catch the "krill"! This shows how baleen plates work to filter food.
• Writing & Creative Expression (20 mins): "My Favorite Whale"
  • In your Whale Fact Journal, choose either a baleen or a toothed whale.
  • Draw a large picture of it. Label its key parts (blowhole, fluke, dorsal fin, baleen/teeth).
  • Write a few sentences about why you chose it. Is it because it's huge? A clever hunter? Sings beautiful songs?
• Movement (10 mins): "Filter Feeder Tag"
  • This is a fun game of tag. You (the parent) are the "pod of krill" and have a handful of soft balls or balled-up socks.
  • Ilyanna is the "baleen whale." She has to "swim" around the room trying to tag you.
  • When she gets close, you toss the "krill" (soft balls) into the air. Her job is to catch as much krill as she can before it hits the floor. It's a silly, active way to model filter-feeding!

Day 3: Whale Songs & Seeing with Sound

Focus Question: How do you talk to a friend who is miles away underwater?

• Reading (15 mins): Watch a short, engaging video about whale communication and echolocation. Listen to recordings of different whale songs (Humpback, Beluga, Orca). Discuss how the sounds are different and what they might mean.
• Science & Discovery (15 mins): "Echolocation Bat & Moth Game"
  1. This game shows how "seeing with sound" works. Go to an open space.
  2. Ilyanna is the "Sperm Whale" (or a bat/dolphin, who also use it). She wears a blindfold.
  3. You are the "Giant Squid" (or a moth).
  4. The Whale says "Click!" The Squid must immediately reply "Clack!"
  5. The Whale uses the sound of your reply to locate you and try to tag you. It's a version of Marco Polo that demonstrates finding things with sound instead of sight.
• Writing & Creative Expression (20 mins): "Whale Haiku"
  • In your journal, write a simple poem about whale sounds. A haiku is a great structure (Line 1: 5 syllables, Line 2: 7 syllables, Line 3: 5 syllables).
  • Example:
    Deep ocean singer,
    A long and lonely blue song,
    Floats across the sea.
• Movement (10 mins): "Whale Dance"
  • Put on some calming, ambient music (or whale sounds!).
  • Create a dance that tells a story about a whale. Use slow, flowing movements to show swimming. Use big, arching movements for breaching. Use small, quick movements for searching for food with echolocation. Express an emotion (happy, sad, playful) through your dance.

Day 4: A Whale's World

Focus Question: Where in the big, wide ocean do whales call home?

• Reading (15 mins): Read a book about ocean habitats and whale migration. Talk about the cold polar regions where they feed and the warm tropical waters where they have their babies. Trace a migration route on a world map if you have one.
• Science & Art (45 mins): "Ocean Habitat Diorama"
  1. Use the shoebox to create a whale's habitat.
  2. Paint the inside of the box different shades of blue.
  3. Create a whale out of modeling clay or draw one on paper and cut it out.
  4. Add details: green construction paper strips for seaweed, cotton balls for seafoam on the surface, maybe some other ocean friends like fish or jellyfish drawn on paper. Hang them from the 'ceiling' of the box with string to make them look like they're swimming!
• Writing & Creative Expression (20 mins): "A Whale's Postcard"
  • Imagine you are a gray whale who has just finished the long migration from Alaska to Mexico.
  • In your journal, write a postcard to a seal friend you left behind in the Arctic. Describe your journey. What did you see? Was it tiring? What is it like in the warm water? Draw a picture on the other side of the "postcard."
• Movement (10 mins): "Migration Obstacle Course"
  • Set up an obstacle course in a hallway or room.
  • Pillows can be "icebergs" you have to swim around. A blue blanket on the floor is the "deep ocean" you have to crawl across. A line of chairs can be a "kelp forest" to weave through.
  • Time yourself migrating from the "cold feeding grounds" (one side of the room) to the "warm birthing lagoons" (the other side).

Day 5: Whale Guardians

Focus Question: Whales are amazing! How can we help protect them?

• Reading (15 mins): Read a book or watch a short video about ocean conservation and the threats whales face (like pollution and getting tangled in nets). Focus on the positive, hopeful message of what people are doing to help.
• Science & Art (25 mins): "Protect Our Whales!" Poster
  1. On a large piece of paper, design a poster to convince people to help protect whales.
  2. Include a bold title like "Save the Whales!" or "Keep Our Oceans Clean!"
  3. Draw a beautiful picture of a whale in a clean, happy ocean.
  4. Include 1-2 simple messages about how people can help (e.g., "Don't Litter," "Use Less Plastic").
• Writing & Creative Expression (15 mins): "My Whale Pledge"
  • In your journal, write down one thing you will promise to do to help be a guardian of the ocean and its whales. It could be as simple as making sure to recycle plastic bottles or picking up trash if you see it on the ground. Sign your name to make it official!
• Movement & Sharing (15 mins): "Whale Week Showcase!"
  • This is a celebration of everything you learned!
  • Set up your whale diorama, your poster, and your Whale Fact Journal.
  • Give a "presentation" to a family member. Start by performing your Whale Dance. Then, guide them through your diorama, explaining the parts of the habitat. Finally, read your favorite fact or story from your journal.
  • Take a bow—you are now an official Whale Expert!