Giants of the Sea: How Blue Whales Got So Big

Part of Curriculum Collections.

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Investigate the elusive behavior of blue whales with these videos, text passages, and data interactives.

Blue whales are the largest animals that ever lived and have among the longest migrations of any mammalian species. Their massive body size and range bring with them a unique set of challenges. How do blue whales get enough energy feasting on just tiny krill? A group of scientists, including biologist Jeremy Goldbogen at Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford University, has revolutionized the study of whale behavior by developing and deploying multi-sensor tags on whales. The scientists look for patterns in their data in order to understand what whales are doing during their deep dives, and what this behavior reveals about the ecosystems the whales inhabit.

This website gives you access to video and texts about the scientists and their research, and to the actual data they have collected about these remarkable animals. It is divided into two sections. You can:

 

How to use these materials

This teaching case uses readings, videos, and data analysis to tell the story of a group of scientists who study blue whales. Students analyze data and make conclusions about some of the same questions that the scientists consider, including how the blue whale evolved to be so big.

Here’s a suggested progression through the materials:

Part 1: 

  • Watch the video and read the essay to introduce the blue whales. 
  • Have students use the Stop and Think questions at the end of the essay to brainstorm how they might gather data to learn more about blue whales

Part 2

  • Watch the video and read the essay to find out how the scientists gather blue whale data.
  • Use the worksheet and graphing tools to analyze data about blue whales.

Part 3

  • Watch the video and read the essay to learn about what the scientists concluded based on the data.
  • Have students use the Stop and Think questions to compare their analysis to what the scientists concluded.

Part 4

  • Watch the video and read the essay to learn about broader implications.
  • Use the Stop and Think questions to have students consider how the blue whale evolved to be so big and how this research contributes to blue whale conservation.