Cetacean Connections

Cetacean Connections is a 3-day hybrid learning curriculum where students will follow a team of National Geographic Explorers aboard E/V Nautilus to study dolphins in Hawai’i. Through video lessons and actionable activities, students will develop their own explorer skills and practice scientific inquiry.

Marine mammals are found in every ocean, and the Main Hawaiian Islands are home to over 20 species. Cetaceans, or dolphins and whales, are important parts of the marine ecosystem. Studying dolphin sounds and communication is a focus for researchers to better understand these species, especially as threats to the ocean like noise pollution grow. In this 3-day lesson plan funded by the National Geographic Society inn partnership with the Ocean Exploration Trust and produced by The Conservationist Collective, students will learn how to be Explorers and cultivate skills like observation, data collection, and scientific inquiry. Students will also get a chance to study animal behavior using footage from Nautilus expeditions, and learn how research is conducted in the field.

Pacing: 3 class periods (45 minutes each)

Materials: Printed activity worksheets, computer access and/or marine mammal guide to lead background research, a stopwatch/timer, writing utensil