Ocean Unit Plan: Math 4th grade

Lesson Plan: Lesson 4

Daily Topic: How Big is Your Whale?
Procedures:
1. Before starting this lesson, the teacher should introduce students to estimation and give
the definition using the padlet. Then the teacher should cut the shape of a whale's head
and the shape of a whale's tail out of paper. Make them as life-sized as possible based on
the information at Blue Whale website.
2. Have students navigate the padlet to complete this assignment.
3. Break students into two groups and assign them to either the head or tail of the whale.
4. Ask each group to draw eyes, scales, etc. onto the paper whale's head or tail using the
crayons or markers. Show students the video of Blue Whales.
5. Mount the head at one end of the hallway and ask one student to stand next to it holding
the end of the rope.
6. Have a different student unravel the twine all the way to the end (for the full 100 feet)
and mount the tail on the wall at that spot.
7. Once the students see how long a blue whale is, ask them to predict how many children it
would take, stretched end-to-end, to fill the length of a blue whale.
8. Have students write down their predictions on a piece of paper.
9. Using strips of adding machine tape, measure each child's height and give each student
their strip of paper.
10. Ask the students to write their name on their own strip of paper.
11. Tape the strips end to end on the wall between the whale's head and tail. Have students
count how many strips it takes to make up the length of the whale.
12. See which students came closest to predicting correctly.
13. Now ask students to predict how many paper plates would make up the size of the whale
and repeat the activity.
14. As a culminating activity, have a discussion about size, using comparing and contrasting
to help them understand the enormous size of a whale. Ask the students if they think a

blue whale would fit in their house or car. Ask students what else they think might be as
big as a blue whale.
Time Needed: 30 40 minutes
Materials:
-

100 feet of rope or twine

Web Resources: Pictures and facts at Blue Whale
Access to padlet
Markers or crayons
Construction Paper
A long hallway or wall
Paper Plates

Prerequisite Skills: Knowledge of comparing and contrasting, and an idea of how units of
measurement differ in size.
Objectives: Students will be able to give their own estimations of how many children and paper
plates it would take to make up the length of a Blue Whale. Comparing and contrasting their
answers students will be able to see how estimations can vary using the How Big is your
Whale? activity. Students will also practice measuring and predicting skills using the Blue
Whale (the largest animal in the ocean).
Accommodations: With students operating in groups the teacher can create mixed learning
groups for slower learners, non-native, and gifted students. The teacher can differentiate
instruction by having students work together and help each other to come up with their
estimations. Students
Assessment and Evaluation:
Category
Estimating

4 Points
Student
demonstrates
an estimation
and makes
their own.

3 Points
Student
demonstrates
some idea of
an estimation
and makes
their own.

2 Points
Student
demonstrate
no idea of an
estimation
but makes
their own.

Creativity

Student
showed
creativity,
and
organization.
Student

Student
showed some
creativity,
and
organization.
Student

Student
showed little
to no
creativity, or
organization.
Student

Following

1 Points
Student
demonstrates
no idea of an
estimation
and doesnt
make their
own.
Student
showed no
creativity, or
organization.
Student

Points

Directions

followed all
directions.

Participation

Student
formed ideas
and did all
the work for
the
assignment.

followed
most of the
directions
Student
formed dome
ideas and did
some work
for the
assignment.

followed
little to no
direction
Student did
satisfactory
work on the
assignment.

followed
none of the
directions.
Student did
no work on
the
assignment.