Dolphins

Objectives:

• Students will be able to describe the physical characteristics of dolphins.

• Students will be able to identify the behavioral characteristics of dolphins.

• Students will be able to explain how dolphins are organized into groups and how they communicate with each other.

Suggested Grades:

3rd Grade - 4th Grade - 5th Grade

Lesson Procedure:

Print the reading comprehension worksheet passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions. Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt:

Did you know that dolphins are whales? It's true. Dolphins are a kind of whale known as toothed whales. They are marine mammals that live mostly in shallow seas and feed on a variety of fish. Dolphins are very intelligent animals. They are also playful and seem to enjoy the company of people.

Dolphins are very fast swimmers. They have tail fins called flukes that are designed to propel them through the water and fins called pectoral fins that they use to change direction. Like all whales, dolphins breathe through a blowhole on top of their heads. They can hold their breath underwater for 10-20 minutes before having to come to the surface to breathe. Most dolphins have excellent hearing and eyesight. They use different sounds to communicate with each other. They also use a process called echolocation to locate objects in the water.

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