Migration Simulation 11/27 Materials Writing Utensil Simulation worksheet (I will pass out) Laptop (when I release you) Monarch Butterfly Reading Questions Due! Agenda Attendance Check Reading Questions Pass out/go over Simulation Worksheet Get computers and get started (Due at end of class)

GRAY WHALE MIGRATION ACTIVITY Go to simulation link Trace the gray whale migration Plot the points on the map-Label At each point along the route, summarize what happens/information Answer questions on back in COMPLETE SENTENCES

Gray Whale Habitat They are found only in the Pacific Ocean. Along the coastline, they have a population of ~26,000. Around Korea and Japan, a small group of 100-250 whales is on the brink of extinction. Gray whales became extinct in the North Atlantic Ocean in the 17th century due to hunting. The whales’ habitat ranges from the Arctic Ocean northwest of Alaska to the Baja peninsula in Mexico. http://www.biosbcc.net/ocean/marinesci/05nekton/GWmigration.htm

Gray Whale Behaviors The whales migrate to give birth and mate in a warm climate. They migrate along the coastline and are the only whale that eats from the ocean floor. Gray whales form small pods from 3-16 members. Spy-hopping is a gray whale behavior where the whale pokes its head up to 10 feet out of the water to look around. Gray whales also breach, or jump partially out of the water, causing a loud noise when they land. This may be a form of communication, as are their various grunts, clicks, and whistles. http://www.pbs.org/kqed/oceanadventures/educators/library http://www.pbs.org/kqed/oceanadventures/educators/library

Whale Nurseries Gray whales migrate farther than any mammal on Earth. Each year they swim from the cold Arctic to warm Mexican lagoons and back again, traveling over 10,000 miles. They leave the cold waters of the Bering Sea in November and swim for 55 days nonstop. In January they arrive in the warm, safe lagoons of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, just in time to give birth. The whales remain in the lagoons for 3 months and start their return trip to the Bering Sea in March. http://www.pbs.org/kqed/oceanadventures/educators/library/

Baby Whale The baby whale weighs 1,100-1,500 lbs. and is ~15 feet long at birth. The warmer waters of Baja Mexico’s shallow lagoons help newborns conserve body heat. They are born lean and without blubber. The calves nurse for about 6 months, during which time the mother provides up to 50 gallons of milk each day. The milk contains 53% fat, and calves may gain 60-70 pounds daily, building up blubber for their cold trip north. Female whales help each other at birth. The “Auntie” pushes the newborn calf up to the surface to ensure it does not drown.