Whales: Guided Imagery Activity

Reprinted from The Wild Times Teacher Connection v1n2, Winter 1996.

by Robert Stover

Materials:

Slides of whales, tape(s) of whale song (Judy Collins: Farewell Tawarthe), drawing paper, videos (National Geographic, Audubon Society, 90 feet of black butcher paper (for whale, 3-30' sections), white butcher paper, styrofoam cups (for teeth), pink paper (for tongue), glue scissors, and an open mind.

Guided Imagery:

Prepare slides and recordings in advance.

With lights off, softly explain that the students are to imagine themselves on a boat on the ocean. They are perfectly safe (because some have a fear of the ocean) and they begin to sense a presence they don't recognize, but that feels very familiar. (here the conversation ceases)

Play the tape with the lights off for about 30 seconds. While it's playing, slowly show the slides. (I had 45 including 3 of whale slaughter. The final shows a gray whale breaching with its tail completely out of the water.) Say, "this is the way it's supposed to be. Now draw your impressions."

How big is a killer whale?

"Today we are going to find out how big a killer whale is." Unroll one 30 foot section of paper. The kids will already be surprised at the size. Depending on your confidence in your kids, let them be as free and creative as possible. Provide books with photographs of killer whales and posters if available. Our whale was created with very little adult guidance.

Closure:

Show a documentary for as long as their attention span allows. Be flexible since some kids turn off when the video goes on, so provide some other activities.

Finally, if it fits your class makeup, show "Free Willy". Though a bit contrived, it is entertaining and educational.

My class of 5th graders is a bilingual group, most of whom don't yet have a command of English. I did the entire lesson in English and they understood it as witnessed by the results. English learners can grasp many of the concepts if presented in a comprehensible manner. Additionally, I team with the Special Day class next door. These kids have severe learning disorders of several types, yet, are just as capable of grasping the need to preserve our friends who live in the sea. Moreover, teaching tolerance is facilitated by creating an awareness of how near to us in evolution these sea mammals are.

Robert teaches at the Suva Intermediate School in Bell Gardens, CA. See Suva Intermediate's page on The Wild Ones web site for a photo of the whale the children constructed, and their whale art inspired by the lesson Robert describes here.

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