ClassX Video Lessons Grade Kindergarten Let’s Explore: Sounds With Beluga Whales! | Ocean Explorers Season 2 | Educational
Hey there, ocean explorers! Are you ready to dive under the waves and have an adventure? Let’s go explore the ocean together and have lots of fun!
We’re playing a fun game called Marco Polo. It’s like hide and seek in the water! Dean found me by listening to my voice. Hi, everyone! Oh, look, there’s Opus! But where’s Tinker? Let’s call out to her. Marco! Oh, there she is! Hi, Tinker!
Guess what? Tinker just saw a whale! Let’s see if we can find it. Oh, wait, that’s not a whale; it’s a dolphin! No, it’s actually a beluga whale! Beluga whales are also called white whales. They are the smallest whales, while blue whales are the biggest!
Look at the beluga whales! They’re dancing in the water. This is called milling. They love to swim and play games together, just like us when we play Simon Says!
Do you want to play Simon Says with us? Remember, only do what Simon says! Ready? Let’s go!
Great job! You did it! Simon says you win!
Did you notice the bump on the beluga whale’s head? It’s called a melon. It helps them find their way underwater by sending sounds that bounce back to them. It’s like their own game of Marco Polo!
Just like Dean followed our voices, beluga whales follow sounds to know where they are. Isn’t that cool?
Today, we learned about beluga whales, how they love to play, and how their melon helps them hear underwater. Now, let’s have a dance party to celebrate!
Thanks for exploring with us, Tinker, Caline, Neptune, and Opus! Keep having fun and exploring the ocean. Until next time, ocean explorers!
Sound Exploration: Just like beluga whales use their melon to hear underwater, let’s explore how sound travels. Fill a bowl with water and gently tap the side with a spoon. Listen carefully to the sound it makes. Now, try tapping the spoon on a table. Can you hear the difference? Discuss with your friends or family how sound changes in water compared to air.
Whale Size Comparison: Use a measuring tape to measure out the size of a beluga whale (about 13-20 feet) and a blue whale (up to 100 feet) on the playground or in your backyard. Mark the lengths with chalk or string. Walk along the lines and imagine how big these whales are. Which one is bigger? How many of you would it take to match the length of a blue whale?
Marco Polo Game Variation: Play a game of Marco Polo on land! One person is “it” and closes their eyes. The others move around quietly. The person who is “it” calls out “Marco!” and the others respond with “Polo!” The goal is to find the others by listening carefully, just like beluga whales use sound to find their way. After the game, talk about how listening helped you find your friends.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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[Applause] Ocean explorers, here we go under the waves! Adventure ho! Ocean explorers, here we go under the waves! Adventure ho! In the water, under the sun, down in the sea, when we’re playing and learning with friends, the fun never ends! Ocean explorers, ocean explorers, ocean explorers, let’s [Music] go!
Hello, ocean explorers! We’re so glad you’re here! Right now, we’re in the middle of a game of Marco Polo. Found you! Good job, Dean! How did you find me? I just followed the sound of your voice. Hi everyone! Hi, Opus! Oh, where’s Tinker? Oh, uh, Marco! Hello! Here she is! Hi, Tinker! Oh, hi! Guess what everyone, I just saw a whale nearby! Ooh, where? I want to see a whale! Oh, there it is! No, wait, that’s not a whale, it’s a dolphin! A white dolphin! I don’t think that is a dolphin, Dean. Shall we take a closer look?
Yeah! When you’re feeling curious and you want to know, take a closer look and your mind will [Music] grow! Those animals are actually beluga whales; they’re also known as white whales. I thought whales were big, but they look small. Oh, whales come in all different sizes! Dean, the beluga whales are the smallest of all the different types of whales. Yeah, that’s true! The blue whale is the biggest whale, and the beluga whale is the smallest whale.
Biggest or smallest, I just like whales! Me too! Hey, what are they doing? It looks like they’re dancing in the water! That’s called milling. The whales like to dive and jump together because they love to swim with their friends and copy each other when they’re milling. It’s kind of like playing a game together!
I see! They copy each other like in Simon Says! More games! I want to play! Do you want to play Simon Says with us? Great! See if you can follow along and copy our movements, but don’t forget to only do what Simon says! Are you ready? Let’s go!
Simon says jump! Jump! Simon says spin! Spin! Simon says wave! Wave! Don’t forget to say Simon says! Let’s go one more time! Simon says it’s time to start again! Simon says are you ready? Let’s go! Simon says jump! Jump! Simon says spin! Spin! Simon says wave! Wave! Great work! You did it! Simon says you win! That was fun!
Why is there a bump on their heads? They call that the melon. It helps the whales find out where they are underwater. Oh, how does it do that? The melon sends sounds, and the sounds echo back, so the whales can tell how far they are from the surface. I don’t hear any sounds. Oh no, only the whales can hear it! They have very good hearing. Using their melon to find the surface is kind of like their own version of Marco Polo.
I get it! They follow the sounds like Dean followed our voices in the game! That’s right! Oh, what a great day! We learned that beluga whales are the smallest whales and that they love to jump and dive together. We even learned that their melon helps them hear sounds underwater! I’m going to use my melon to listen for some music because it’s time for a dance party! What a day! What a day! It’s so much fun playing with friends by the ocean!
[Applause] Down below the water, up on the shore, so much to learn, so much to explore! We’re so glad you could play with us, Tinker, Caline, Neptune, and Opus! What a day! What a day! It’s so much fun playing with friends by the ocean! Thanks for joining us! Until next time, keep exploring!
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This version removes any informal language and maintains a friendly tone suitable for a children’s program.
