Overview
You’ve never watched a whale this closely! Invite a virtual whale into your room, built to an amazing scale… Reach out and discover every detail of this mighty mammal in augmented reality, all the way from its blowhole to its flukes!
During this interactive experience, students will work in pairs or small teams to explore a right whale and/or resident orca.
Several short 10 - 20 min activity ideas are provided.
Learning outcomes
Learners will be able to describe a right whale and/or resident orca, identify some of its parts and describe its size.
Competencies
Critical thinker, Collaborator, Communicator
Learning objectives
Make and record observations
Identify unique features of right whales and/or orcas
Apply mathematical skills to create a 2D scale model
Before you start the workshop
Make sure the Ocean School app is installed and up-to-date on each device.
Find the most optimal place(s) to spawn the whale. We recommend taking students to the gym or outside.
Workshop
Introduction
10 min
Welcome the group and explain that they are going to learn about the right whale (and or Orca) using augmented reality.
Explain that each pair will get an iPad or iPhone and will “spawn” their own whale.
Divide students into pairs.
Show them the best places to spawn their whale.
Invite them to spawn the whale. Support as needed.
Below we provide several ideas for short activities. Select or adapt the most appropriate one(s) for your program!
Whale to Scale
10 - 15 min
Invite learners to learn about the whale’s dimensions using the app.
Bring the group together and brainstorm how they can represent the size of the whale in the room using objects / materials available.
How big is big?
10 min
Ask the group to estimate how many students long Whaledo is. Encourage them to problem solve and come up with a way of measuring.
Ask one pair to volunteer to be the Whaledo measurer.
Using the iPad/phone set up on a tripod, instruct this pair to line up their peers under the whale with their arms stretched out or lying down. They will have to work together to get everyone in line under or beside the whale.
Invite the measurers to take a picture.
Ask the group what surprised them about the whale’s size.
*Extension - how big are a right whale’s baleen? Find something in the room that is 2.4m long. Provide students with a tape measure or measuring stick.
Scavenger hunt
10 min
Give each pair 2 numbers. Tell them that they need to find the number on the whale and learn the fact that the number reveals.
Ask each pair to share what they learned.
Meet Whaledo
10 min
Explain to students that you are going to ask a series of questions about the whale, and you want them to try and find the answers by tapping the numbers on the AR whale.
After you have asked each question, allow pairs to explore and find the answer. Invite them to share what they learn.
Questions for Right Whale, Whaledo
How much does a whale eat in a day?
What are callosities?
Why do some whales have scars?
What is a whale’s tail called?
How big can a female whale get?
What food do Right Whales eat?
Comparison
10 min
Instruct students to select the right whale in the app.
Give each pair 2 numbers. Tell them that they need to find the number on the whale and learn the facts that those numbers reveal.
Ask each pair to share what they learned.
Instruct students to select Resident Orca in the app.
Give each pair 2 numbers. Tell them that they need to find the number on the whale and learn the facts that those numbers reveal.
Ask each pair to share what they learned.
Discuss key differences between the whales. What special features does each whale have? What if anything is surprising?