This lesson introduces students to a highly endangered species—the northern right whale—and asks them to think about how this species' geographical distribution places it in direct contact with human threats such as ships. Students will draw pictures of right whales and add commercial ships and other human activities to their drawings. They will conclude by writing sentences explaining how the whales they have drawn might be affected by the human activities and what might be done to help the whales.

[Note: This lesson will work best for students who already know a little bit about whales, such as basic whale anatomy. You can find good basic information at All About Whales.]

Geography, life science

Standard 8: "The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface"
Standard 14: "How human actions modify the physical environment"

Two hours

• Computer with Internet access
• Drawing materials

Students will

• list words that describe right whales;
• view and discuss a diagram of a right whale;
• draw pictures of right whales;
• add pictures of human activities to their pictures of right whales;
• write sentences explaining how the whales they have drawn might be affected by human activities; and
• write sentences explaining what might be done to help right whales.

Have students look at these right whale pictures (link to "View a right whale photo gallery" under the photograph). Ask them to list words that describe these whales.

Explain that some types of whales, including the ones they see in the pictures, are endangered. In other words, there aren't many of them left and it is possible that they might become extinct. Have students brainstorm in a class discussion the reasons why whales might be endangered.

Have students look at this diagram of a right whale, either online or on paper. Explain that this is a picture of a northern right whale, one of the most endangered whale species on Earth. Tell the class that there are only 300 right whales left in the northern oceans of the world.

Have students look carefully at the picture and the text. Ask them to describe some of the interesting features of the right whale. For example, they may notice that it has two blowholes and several bumps on its head. If students have not learned about baleen, explain that this is a hair-like material that many whales use to sift food out of the water, much as people use water filters to get rocks and other debris out.

Help students figure out how long the right whale is in relation to their classroom or to the hallway. They will see on the diagram that the whale is 36-59 feet (11-18 meters) long.

Ask students to draw a picture of a right whale on their own paper and to color this picture. They should draw the whale so that there is enough blank space on the page for more drawings (see below), or they can cut out their whale drawing and paste it onto a larger piece of paper.

Show the class this map of the northern right whale's migration route. Ask them to point out the familiar parts of the map, such as the Atlantic Ocean and a few recognizable states. Explain that the whales migrate from Florida and the Caribbean in the south to Nova Scotia, Canada in the north every spring. They go the other way (toward the south) in the fall.

Ask students if they think that whales are the only creatures that use this water. What other things might be found in the Atlantic Ocean, and particularly in the part of the ocean close to the United States coast? Discuss the fact that whales have to share the waterways with people, who use these areas for their own activities.

Mention to the class some of the ways that people use the same water areas as right whales for commercial shipping, tourism (cruise ships), fishing with nets, and even dumping garbage.

As you mention each of the above human uses, give students time to add pictures of these activities to their whale drawings. They will end up with pictures that show right whales and the human impacts on their habitat.

Have students share their drawings with the class. Discuss as a class the ways students think human activities affect right whales.

Have students write sentences explaining how the right whales in their drawings might be affected by the human activities they have drawn and what might be done to help them.

• Remind students that they have learned about one type of whale, the northern right whale, and explain that there are many other types of whales. Have students see another whale species at the humpback whales coloring page, and ask them to color the picture.
  
  
• Explain that the northern right whale population was at least 10,000 before people started hunting this species. As they have learned, there are now about 300 northern right whales left. To illustrate this dramatic change, bring in a box or bottle that contains 1,000 of an item, such as vitamins or pieces of paper. Ask students to guess how many boxes or bottles would contain 10,000 of this item.
  
  Draw ten circles on the board or on a large piece of paper. Explain that each circle represents 1,000 right whales, approximately one-tenth of the original population.
  
  Begin crossing out the circles until you have reached the last one. Draw and color in a wedge representing about three-tenths of the circle, and explain that this is how many northern right whales are left today.
  
  [Note: How you lead this extension activity will depend on the mathematical skills of your students.]

Enchanted Learning: Right Whale Diagram Printout
NPR: Reports Offer Hope for Right Whales
National Geographic: Humpback Whales Coloring Page