Project Immersion: Strandings

Grades 6-8: Strandings

Objective To learn about the phenomenon of stranding and how the scientific process helps us to learn about the unknown.

Materials None.

Time Frame 1 hour

Teacher Background See Basic Biology and Odontocetes sections of the Background Information.

Dive In! The mass standings of whales around the world are extremely popular media events surrounded by mystery whenever and wherever they happen. Strangely enough, scientists do not know what causes a whale to strand. Why do large numbers of cetaceans drive themselves to their deaths for no obvious reason?

Process Pose the above question to your students. Ask them to propose any ideas they may have about why strandings happen.
Write these ideas down on the blackboard so everyone can see them. Have them try to figure out how you would test these ideas for validity. Continue to keep a written record of the ideas and hypotheses
As students give ideas for testing their ideas on strandings; label with appropriate titles, e.g., Hypotheses, Experiment, Observation, etc. Explain that this is the way that scientists learn about the world. The process of creating and testing hypotheses is basic to science.

Extension This discussion can be guided in to almost any area; physical processes of the ocean, animal behavior, disease and health, human effects on the environment, and more.

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Objective	To learn about the phenomenon of stranding and how the scientific process helps us to learn about the unknown.

Materials	None.

Time Frame	1 hour

Teacher Background	See Basic Biology and Odontocetes sections of the Background Information.

Dive In!	The mass standings of whales around the world are extremely popular media events surrounded by mystery whenever and wherever they happen. Strangely enough, scientists do not know what causes a whale to strand. Why do large numbers of cetaceans drive themselves to their deaths for no obvious reason?

Process	Pose the above question to your students. Ask them to propose any ideas they may have about why strandings happen. Write these ideas down on the blackboard so everyone can see them. Have them try to figure out how you would test these ideas for validity. Continue to keep a written record of the ideas and hypotheses As students give ideas for testing their ideas on strandings; label with appropriate titles, e.g., Hypotheses, Experiment, Observation, etc. Explain that this is the way that scientists learn about the world. The process of creating and testing hypotheses is basic to science.

Extension	This discussion can be guided in to almost any area; physical processes of the ocean, animal behavior, disease and health, human effects on the environment, and more.