Have you ever been whale watching or seen a whale up close? They’re amazing creatures to see in their own habitat, but if you don’t live near the ocean there are still plenty of ways you can bring whales to the classroom!
Check out these fun facts, free downloadable activities, and other projects to learn about whales! Click here to download all of the free whale activities listed below.
Fun Facts about Whales:
- Whales are marine mammals, which means they require oxygen, are warm-blooded, and feed milk to their young.
- Whales can hold their breath for more than 20 minutes.
- Blue whales are the largest known animals to ever live on the planet—reaching 110 feet in length.
- Whales migrate in order to feed and mate.
- Humpback whales communicate through complex whale songs.
Whale Shape Book
, Grades K–2
This shape book unit provides five reproducible forms in the shape of a fat whale, directions for students writing at three levels, a three-line poem, and literature connections. (From The Ultimate Shape Book)
Pocket Book on Whales
, Grades 1–3
Students create a “pocket book” about toothed and baleen whales. Includes picture cards, whale haiku, minibooks, size comparison chart, and additional activities. You can pick and choose activities or have students complete the entire book. (From Theme Pockets, September e-book)
Whale Activity Pages, Grades 1–5
These ready-to-use pages include illustrations of ten types of whales, a whale skeleton, and a whale writing form. (From Giant Science Resource Book)
Life in the Ocean Pocket File Folder
, Grades 3–6
This unit provides ideas, directions, and patterns for creating a science report about a marine animal, adaptable for whales. It includes ideas for a pop-up page, a minibook, a word web, and other activities. (From Easy File Folder Reports e-book)
Whale Bulletin Board
This link includes teacher directions and caption letters to create a fun bulletin board to display students’ work. (From Bulletin Boards Every Classroom Needs)
Whale Watching
If you do live near the ocean, in locations where whales live or migrate through, you may be able to go whale watching and see some real whales up close!
Measuring Whale Lengths
In a hallway, or on blacktop or another outdoor space, gather students to measure various lengths of whales. Using a measuring tape, chalk, or some other marking method, have students draw out and label the following whale species and their lengths:
- Pilot whale – 20 feet
- Gray whale – 40 feet
- Humpback whale – 50 feet
- Sperm whale – 55 feet
- Finback whale – 70 feet
- Blue whale – 100 to 110 feet
Compare the lengths to other things, like the classroom length, car lengths, truck lengths, etc.
Whale-Blubber Activity
Many marine mammals have blubber to keep them warm in the extreme cold. Whales are no exception to this! You can make your own blubber glove and test it out in cold water with this activity! Check out this hands-on STEM blubber glove project from Evan-Moor.
Egg Carton Whale Art Craft
For this simple and fun craft, you’ll need the following materials:
- Egg cartons
- Light blue paint
- Paintbrushes
- Light blue construction paper
- Blue pipe cleaners
- Googly eyes
- Black markers
- Glue
- Scissors
Directions:
- Cut the egg carton into individual sections. (You may need multiple egg cartons depending on the number of students.)
- Paint each individual carton piece light blue and let dry completely.
- Carefully cut or poke a hole at the top of the egg carton for the whale’s blowhole. Cut an X if possible, or just poke a small hole.
- Cut a blue pipe cleaner in half. Then take each shorter piece and bend that in half, intertwining the bended portions together and placing those in the blowhole so that four ends of the pipe cleaner stick out at the top. Bend those pieces to look like a water spray!
- Cut a whale tail shape and fins out of the construction paper and glue it onto the egg carton.
- Glue on the googly eyes and draw a mouth on the front of the egg carton whale.
Whale Reading Recommendations
In addition to hands-on activities and lessons, you can read about whales in the classroom. Check out our book recommendations for a variety of reading levels:
A Whale Is Not a Fish by Melvin Berger (Grades 1–2)
The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson (Grades Preschool–2)
Humphrey the Wayward Whale by Ernest Callenbach and Christine Leefeldt (Grades 1–3)
How the Whale Got His Throat by Anna Milbourne (Grades K–2)
If you can’t go to the whales, bring the whales to you! Turn your classroom into a whale watching unit with decorations, lessons, activities, and more!
These whale-themed units were pulled from Evan-Moor’s online lesson library, TeacherFileBox. There are many more available, including whale-themed units from Reading Informational Text, Daily Science, Creative Writing Ideas, and more. Take a look!
For related ideas and free printables, see: Under the Sea Classroom Theme and Activities.
Christine Wooler has experience working with children as a youth soccer coach and summer camp counselor. She is currently studying English Literature and journalism in college. She enjoys exploring educational topics that help students have fun while learning.