ABC Concepts

1. ABC Concepts Killer Whales By Gina Petti RED 585 51186 Reading in the Content Area Nova Southeastern University July 14, 2009

2. Introduction An ABC book can be used for many content area subjects, and can cover different applications. It is a great tool in gathering new vocabulary terms, brainstorming, using prior knowledge, and forming related notes to describe each word per alphabet letter. It is a new method of allowing you as the student become an active participant in researching new vocabulary terms that bring meaning to the text. Use this killer whale ABC book as a guide in the step by step process to make your own creative, meaningful, and resourceful ABC book. Each page has an important reflective word, and my own meaning I gathered from reading the text, prior knowledge, and from the marine life websites.

3. Description & Rationale The internet is certainly a valuable tool for all students regardless of age, culture, level, theme, or content area. It is information that is easily accessible. This interactive resource can help students find new information on just about any topic and relate it to their prior knowledge. Pictures, charts, games, definitions, biographies, and vocabulary are just some of the amazing items related to the topic found on the internet. Websites can even allow you to hear the sounds of a whales or watch an actual whale observatory. Every sense is related through words, visuals, and sounds. A power point presentation is a great method for all students to gather and present their new findings from the text and websites. For diverse learners, this visual is often a positive influence as they can relate pictures to bold vocabulary words and their definitions. Many times, they piece this breakdown of terms together in order to understand the main idea of the trade book, an essential strategy that is important for all students to learn.

4. Essential Question Do killer whales use symbolic interactive skills to communicate amongst different pods? Do they form separate cultural communities?

5. A is for…Acoustic Clans Social interaction and calls between the different groups of whales. Each community may actually share their own pattern of calls. Sounds vary between high pitched whistling and clicks.

6. B is for…Beach Rubbing Whales will actually rub their bellies over stones to remove dead skin. This type of grooming behavior can last minutes or even hours on a day to day basis, but only during the summer months.

7. C is for…Corral Many times killer whales will corral large groups of fish up to the surface, and then slap their enormous tails to shock the fish out of the group. Those fish are stunned, disoriented, and then eaten.

8. D is for…Dorsal Fin A large fin on the back of a killer whale which can exceed 6 feet in a male. This fin helps to provide stability while swimming.

9. E is for…Echolocation Killer whales will project clicking sounds on objects. They will then listen to it’s echo and determine what the object is and it’s location.

10. F is for…Foraging One of the most common activities for both transient and resident whales, which consists of hunting for food. Many of them will group together, dive and search until they need to rest for a few hours.

11. G is for…Genetics The physical genetic makeup of a killer whale is somewhat different for males and females. Adult males weigh twice as much as females exceeding 13,000 pounds. Their unique black and white color pattern is actually used as camouflage in the water during hunting.

12. H is for…Heavy Tympanic Bulla Bones which are found in the middle ear of a killer whale which function as a balance organ and are full size at birth. Hearing is one of the most important functions for whales, so much that their balance issues can be “off” if a parasite infects the area causing a whale to beach themselves.

13. I is for…Infant Position Infant whales will stay just beneath their mother’s belly as they swim, socialize, touch, and nurse. A feeling of security.

14. J is for…Jump Whales jump up from the water sometimes as high as 15 feet. They use this as a form of communication when showing excitement or even a threat. Young calves will do it merely for play and fun.

15. K is for…Killer Whale The name killer whale came about because these massive black and white camouflaged sea mammals are the top predators of the ocean. They will group together like wolves surrounding their prey. Life as small as herring fish and as large as another whale have no chance!

16. L is for…Life Span Males and females have different life spans. Males can live up to 50-60 years, while females live over 70-80 years. Those in captivity don’t live as long.

17. M is for…Mammals Killer whales are warm blooded carnivorous marine mammals. Typically, mammals, like whales, have to eat a lot to keep their body temperature high. Mammals are also able to nourish and feed their own young by the glands on their body.

18. N is for…Narwhal This is another type of whale, which is rarely seen. Their bluish-grey skin, long 7-10 foot tooth, and pulsating communicative sounds are quite the contrast to the killer whale. Although seen in the same waters, there is very little known about these mammals.

19. O is for…Orcinus Orca The scientific name for the killer whale commonly known as “orcas”. They are warm blooded mammals in the dolphin family with similar features, however they are predators.

20. P is for…Pods A group of killer whales, anywhere from 3 up to 50, cooperatively communicating, traveling, and working together to hunt for food.

21. Q is for…Quahog This is another marine animal commonly found in the artic oceans. It resembles a small round hard clam that can live up to 40 years if not eaten sooner. They are considered bivalves, like oysters, which filter out their food.

22. R is for…Resident Killer Whales One of the different types of pods which mainly eat salmon, halibut, and other small fish unlike Transient killer whales who will attack seals or porpoises from several angles.

23. S is for…Spy hopping Killer whales will “bob” their head out of the water, up and down, head first, to spy on its’ prey ahead.

24. T is for…Tail-Lobbing Massive communicative sounds done by slapping their tail against the water. The whales do this to express excitement or anger.

25. U is for…Urchin Tiny creatures with long spiny-like purple or pink arms used for movement or defense. They eat algae, and are similar to the starfish. Many fish or small land and marine animals will eat urchins.

26. V is for…Vision Killer whales have good underwater vision. Since their eyes are on the sides of their heads, they can not see forward when above water. However, when spy hopping, they can see their prey as they are moving up and down.

27. W is for…Walrus Transient killer whales will typically eat larger mammals such as a walrus. In fact, they won’t chew their prey, but rather swallow them whole. A portion of their stomach will crush the food to be digested.

28. X is for…Xiphias These are commonly known as sword fish, and can be seen in the colder waters. They use their bill like sword to slash their prey. Predators of these adult xiphias include killer whales, sharks, and marlin.

29. Y is for…Yellow Eyed Penguins Penguins are another type of wild life typically seen in the Antarctica. Their feather-like bodies give them the appearance of a bird, and their quick dive like swimming is mistaken for a fish. Killer whales, seals, and sharks eat penguins.

30. Z is for…Zoo Plankton These are tiny microscopic organisms which float in the ocean currents. Many fish, birds, and mammals such as some whales, will eat plankton.

31. References Baird, R.W. (2002). Killer whales of the world. MN: Voyager Press, Inc. (2008). Center for whales research. Retrieved July 11, 2009 from www.whaleresearch.com (n.d.) Whale and dolphin conservation society. Retrieved July 11, 2009 from https://secure.wdcs.org.au/secure/adopt_an_orca.php (2007). The whale museum. Retrieved July 11, 2009 from http://www.whalemuseum.org/ National Geographic. (199602009). Killer Whale (Orca). Retrieved July 11, 2009 from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/killer-whale.html