Whale Blubber

Every year, Pacific gray whales travel from Alaska to Mexico, a 10,000 mile journey that takes half a year. During this time, they don’t eat any food. Pacific gray whales eat krill that are only found in Alaskan waters. So, how do they survive the long fasting period and freezing water? This activity illustrates the role a whale’s 5-10 inch layer of fat, called blubber, plays in survival. This is a companion activity for If My Mom Were A Platypus: Mammal Babies and their Mothers. The title is available at a discounted price for Title 1 schools on the First Book Marketplace.This book explores how 14 different mammal babies navigate the path from helpless infants to self-sufficient adults, and comes with a free downloadable Teacher’s Guide filled with activities just like this one.