Project Immersion: Anatomy: Form & Function

Grades 3-5: Anatomy Lesson

Objective Students will learn that the physical forms of cetaceans are related to what they do and where they live.

Materials Library books, magazines, items with pictures of cetaceans engaged in different activities such as swimming, jumping, feeding.

Time Frame 1/2-1 hour

Teacher Background See Basic Biology in the Background Information section. Cetaceans' anatomy is designed to assist survival in water. Flukes, flippers, and loss of body hair make swimming easier. Blowholes' location makes breathing easier. Blubber keeps them warm in cold water and provides energy for migration and calving. Baleen helps them separate food from undrinkable salt water.

Dive In! Cetaceans are mammals but look like fish. Why do cetaceans have such unusual anatomy? How does it help them live?

Process Have students look at a variety of pictures of cetaceans swimming, jumping, feeding, spouting and doing other things. You could also sketch a cetacean on the board, having students suggest various features to include.
Another option is to draw from the students their experiences with cetaceans in film, literature and life. Have them describe what they have seen cetaceans doing and how they looked.
Encourage students to look at their list of features and functions while looking at the pictures or discussing experiences. While doing this they should think about how each trait relates to what they have seen.
Students should then complete the activity sheet by matching the correct trait to its corresponding function. Then have them draw, in the space provided, a cetacean with all the traits labeled; then one other animal with similar features, either a seal, manatee, otter, or even a human in a wetsuit, with the features again labeled.

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Objective	Students will learn that the physical forms of cetaceans are related to what they do and where they live.

Materials	Library books, magazines, items with pictures of cetaceans engaged in different activities such as swimming, jumping, feeding.

Time Frame	1/2-1 hour

Teacher Background	See Basic Biology in the Background Information section. Cetaceans' anatomy is designed to assist survival in water. Flukes, flippers, and loss of body hair make swimming easier. Blowholes' location makes breathing easier. Blubber keeps them warm in cold water and provides energy for migration and calving. Baleen helps them separate food from undrinkable salt water.

Dive In!	Cetaceans are mammals but look like fish. Why do cetaceans have such unusual anatomy? How does it help them live?

Process	Have students look at a variety of pictures of cetaceans swimming, jumping, feeding, spouting and doing other things. You could also sketch a cetacean on the board, having students suggest various features to include. Another option is to draw from the students their experiences with cetaceans in film, literature and life. Have them describe what they have seen cetaceans doing and how they looked. Encourage students to look at their list of features and functions while looking at the pictures or discussing experiences. While doing this they should think about how each trait relates to what they have seen. Students should then complete the activity sheet by matching the correct trait to its corresponding function. Then have them draw, in the space provided, a cetacean with all the traits labeled; then one other animal with similar features, either a seal, manatee, otter, or even a human in a wetsuit, with the features again labeled.