Project Immersion: Scar Story

Grades K-5: Scar Story

Objective Students will learn how whales and dolphins acquire the myriad of markings on their bodies and the role those markings play in science and conservation.

Materials Photograph of whale with lots of scars on its flukes and body.

Time Frame 1/2-1 hour

Teacher Background See Conservation in the Background Information Section.
Whales and dolphins have a variety of scars easily visible on their bodies. These scars are from a range of sources, natural predators like killer whales, other whales striking them with barnacle encrusted flippers and flukes, boat propellers, and fishing nets. These scars help scientists to identify individual animals but they also speak clearly of a need to protect these creatures from harm more effectively.

Dive In! How do whales and dolphins get all those marks and scars? Where do they come from and what do they mean?

Process Discuss with students the idea of natural markings on animals and how, even within the same species, there can be great variability. Hair color and eye color make good examples among people.
Show students the pictures (slide?) of the whales with scars. Explain that these markings are not natural but rather are scars inflicted after birth. Have students give a few examples of other animals they may have seen with that type of marking. Point out what each type is and where they came from, prop scars from boats, teeth marks from killer whales and so forth. Use the page provided to identify the different scars.
Have students create their own story for why the whales have each of those markings. Where did they acquire them and how? Were they young or old? What could have been done to help them avoid getting scarred in the first place?
When students have written short stories about the origins of the different markings, have them share these ideas. Tell students how scientists name whales based on their markings, including scars and have them suggest names based on the visible markings.

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Objective	Students will learn how whales and dolphins acquire the myriad of markings on their bodies and the role those markings play in science and conservation.

Materials	Photograph of whale with lots of scars on its flukes and body.

Time Frame	1/2-1 hour

Teacher Background	See Conservation in the Background Information Section. Whales and dolphins have a variety of scars easily visible on their bodies. These scars are from a range of sources, natural predators like killer whales, other whales striking them with barnacle encrusted flippers and flukes, boat propellers, and fishing nets. These scars help scientists to identify individual animals but they also speak clearly of a need to protect these creatures from harm more effectively.

Dive In!	How do whales and dolphins get all those marks and scars? Where do they come from and what do they mean?

Process	Discuss with students the idea of natural markings on animals and how, even within the same species, there can be great variability. Hair color and eye color make good examples among people. Show students the pictures (slide?) of the whales with scars. Explain that these markings are not natural but rather are scars inflicted after birth. Have students give a few examples of other animals they may have seen with that type of marking. Point out what each type is and where they came from, prop scars from boats, teeth marks from killer whales and so forth. Use the page provided to identify the different scars. Have students create their own story for why the whales have each of those markings. Where did they acquire them and how? Were they young or old? What could have been done to help them avoid getting scarred in the first place? When students have written short stories about the origins of the different markings, have them share these ideas. Tell students how scientists name whales based on their markings, including scars and have them suggest names based on the visible markings.