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Where Whales Become Friends
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Whales For Kids Assemblies - Classrooms "I feel that the audience was treated to a program of exceptional quality and would recommend it to other libraries and schools." Mary Alice Spiegel, Children's Librarian, Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, Camp Hill, PA This program designed for elementary schools includes elements of the National Science Foundations "inquiry-based" approach to learning. In addition the assembly touches on Environment & Ecology, Mathematics, Science & Technology and Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. This multi-media event includes video footage collected during 68,000 hours exploring known whale feeding grounds in the Atlantic Ocean. Students everywhere are excited to learn that large whales are identified as individuals, have been named and family trees established. Dozens of humpback whales are known grandmothers (three are great grandmothers) and this assembly introduces several with ten calves or more. If your school or any students have adopted a humpback whale in the Gulf of Maine, chances are we have recorded its natural behaviors. Whales have distinct personalities and the program highlights these "cultural" differences. After the talk concludes, each student is invited to walk by a table with whale artifacts: whale bone and baleen, teeth and real whale food (plankton and sand eels). Individual questions are also welcomed at this time. Click here to seek answers to student's questions Introduce your students to whales with names, unique personalities and an interest in humans! I am now accepting dates for whale lectures throughout the 2007/2008 school year. I am located in Central Pennsylvania but will travel to other states! Let me bring the world of whales and dolphins to your school or organization! I enjoy sharing my experiences with schools, libraries and other groups. I'll conduct an informative and entertaining program ( 60 minutes in length) about whales, dolphins and other marine life. My multi-media presentation includes the most attention-grabbing video, whale sounds, posters, hands-on materials and a life-size banner of a humpback whale's fluke (tail).
The tail pattern on the banner above is like a finger print and identifies a real living individual humpback whale with a very unique feeding style. The students have fun trying to guess her name and are amazed to learn that she is the only whale in the Atlantic ocean that captures fish this way. A three-generation whale family is also introduced. The matriarch of this family was the first humpback whale given a name and is said to be the most famous and the most photographed whale in the world. The children are shown video images of Salt, including members of her immediate family (she has ten calves and five grandcalves). Testimonials (Teacher and Librarian recommendations) Presentations are grade appropriate (I have presented to K-12, Public Libraries and Retirement Facilities) Topics may include, but are not limited to: Order and Species Natural Behaviors and Feeding Methods How whales are named Family Trees Whales With a Sense of Humor Threats facing the oceans and whales Hands on exhibit table contains whale baleen, teeth, skin, bone and even whale food!
Prices The fee for the initial classroom presentation is $200 and $150 for each additional session on the same day. I recommend no more than 60 students in each session to allow for questions and examination of the whale artifacts. An optional add-on of $100 includes two DVD's and a CD of whale songs for the library and a one-year subscription to an adoption whale program for the school. Above prices include up to 30 minutes of travel from Harrisburg PA.
Dan Knaub leads all presentations. (Click here for Bio) Email: danknaub@comcast.net For detailed information or to schedule a presentation call (717) 763-9507
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