Academy Curricular Exchange
Columbia Education Center
Science

AUTHOR:   Rebecca G. Whitworth, Perkins Elementary
          School,  Perkins, OK

TITLE:    Whale Echolocation

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:B.  appropriate for grades  2-4
                        in Science

OVERVIEW:   This activity will provide students with a
concrete experience in using echolocation to track an
object.

PURPOSE:  For students to understand how sound and echo
can be used to track objects.

OBJECTIVE(s):  Students will be able to:
1. Explain echolocation.
2. Demonstrate how a whale uses echolocation to track
   food.
3. Be able to identify one other animal that uses
   echolocation.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:  blindfold and large playing area

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1.  Set up perimeter of playing space.
2.  One student will become the whale and be
    blindfolded.
3.  Other students can move to any place in the
    boundaries, but they must stay there.
4.  The whale then gives the signal "echo" and the
    other students (the food) respond with "location".
    The whale tracks the food and the food then becomes
    the whale.
    Variations in the game:
    1.  Have students vary the volume of response.
    2.  Let students move in-between responses.
    3.  Let students sit, stand, or lie down.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:  discussion questions:
1.  Is it easier to track food by sight or sound?
2.  What happened when the food was quieter or louder?
3.  What other animals might use this system of finding
    food?
4.  What would be different in a real ocean situation?

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