Marine and Aquatic Mammals

Marine and Aquatic
Mammals

Standards-Based Activities
(3rd Grade)

Note: These activities can stand alone or be used as an introduction to
a Pelotes Island Nature Preserve Fieldtrip in Jacksonville, FL.
For information, call (904) 665-8856.

1) Reading
2) Writing
3) Math
4) Answer Page


Created by the Pelotes Island Nature Preserve (JEA & FPL)
For more Standards-Based activities,
Check out the Preserve’s website at Http://pelotes.jea.com
(904) 665-8856
Provided by the Pelotes Island Nature Preserve, JEA & FPL

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“Marine & Aquatic
Mammals”

This activity can stand alone or be used as extension materials for
the following Environmental Activity Curricula:

Project Aquatic WILD “Are You Me?” p. 14
Project Aquatic WILD “Mermaids & Manatees” p. 44
Project Aquatic WILD “Whale of a Tail” p. 27
Project Aquatic WILD “Kelp Help” p. 48
Project WILD “Polar Bears in Phoenix” p. 120



To learn about attending a workshop in Florida to receive these
Environmental Curricula Texts, see below.

Project WET – contact Project WET State Coordinator at
(386) 329-4752.

Project Learning Tree (PLT) – contact PLT State Coordinator at
(850) 222-5646.

Project WILD – contact Project WILD State Coordinator at
(850) 488-4676.

Project Aquatic WILD - contact Project WILD State Coordinator at
(850) 488-4676.

Schoolyard Wildlife - contact Project WILD State Coordinator at
(850) 488-4676.
Provided by the Pelotes Island Nature Preserve, JEA & FPL

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Marine and Aquatic Mammals

Standards-Based Reading Questions

What are Marine and Aquatic Animals?


What is a mammal? All mammals have fur or hair, even if it’s just a few
whiskers. Most mammals don’t lay eggs. They feed milk to their babies. Mammal
parents teach their babies about food, danger, and their world. Mammals breathe air
and are warm-blooded. Warm-blooded animals eat plenty of food. They use this food
as energy to warm up their bodies. Some examples of land mammals are people,
foxes, and elephants.
A marine mammal is a mammal that lives in salt water (like the ocean). Some
examples of marine mammals are dolphins, seals, and polar bears. An aquatic
mammal is a mammal that lives in fresh water (like a river or lake). Some examples of
aquatic mammals are beavers, river otters, and muskrats.
These water mammals don’t have gills like a fish. Instead, they have lungs and
breathe air.

So what’s special about marine and aquatic mammals? They are built to survive
in the water. Strong tails or flippers and slick bodies help water mammals swim quickly.
Their large lungs hold lots of air, and their noses close up underwater. This helps water
mammals hold their breath until they come to the top for air. Thick fur and fatty blubber
help them stay warm in the cold water.

Marine and aquatic mammals are all built to survive in a watery environment.
The next time you see one of these graceful swimming mammals, try to imagine what
its life is like. Even though its body is different from yours, it is still a mammal – just like
you!


1. Read the following sentences from this article. “So what’s special about marine and
aquatic mammals? They are built to survive in the water. Strong tails or flippers and
slick bodies help water mammals swim quickly.” According to the article, what is the
meaning of the words “built to survive”?

a) Special tricks the water mammals do
b) Ways their bodies work well in the water
c) Their ability to dive to the bottom of the ocean
d) The fact that they lay eggs in the water
Provided by the Pelotes Island Nature Preserve, JEA & FPL

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Marine and Aquatic Mammals

Standards-Based Reading Questions


2. If this article needed a new title, which of these would be the most appropriate title?

a) Mammals of the Land and Sea
b) Water Birds
c) Water Mammals
d) What is a Mammal?


3. Which of the following statements is FALSE?

a) Mammals usually have fur or hair.
b) Mammals usually lay eggs.
c) Mammals give milk to their babies.
d) Mammals breathe air.


4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the article as something water mammals
can do?

a) Stay warm in the water as they swim
b) Hold their breath a long time
c) Dive to the bottom of the ocean
d) Swim gracefully through the water


5. Which of the following is a marine mammal?

a) Beaver
b) Dolphin
c) Person
d) Fox


6. Based on your reading of the article, what do you think the author’s main purpose
was in writing this article?

a) To teach about all mammals
b) To teach about all water animals
c) To show why marine and aquatic animals are graceful swimmers
d) To teach about marine and aquatic animals

Provided by the Pelotes Island Nature Preserve, JEA & FPL

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Marine and Aquatic Mammals

Standards-Based Writing Prompts


1. Marine mammals swim smoothly and gracefully through the water. Think about
what it might feel like to glide through the ocean like a dolphin. Write a story about a
day in your life as a dolphin.


2. Marine mammals do not speak in words the way people do, but many scientists
think dolphins are intelligent and can communicate important ideas. Imagine that
you are a dolphin, and think about the things that would be important to you. Write
to explain an idea you might wa nt to tell another dolphin.


3. Some aquatic mammals, like beavers, build homes using wood and other materials
from the land. Think about something you have made or built from raw land
materials. Write to explain how you used these materials to made or build
something.


4. Some marine mammals like dolphins eat meat (fish), while others, like manatees,
eat plants (sea grasses). Think about whether you prefer to eat meat or plants.
Write to explain why you would prefer to be a meat-eating marine mammal or a
plant-eating marine mammal.


5. Marine and aquatic mammals are excellent swimmers. Think about a time you went
swimming or wading in the water. Write to explain how you might swim differently if
you had flippers.


6. The idea of mermaids probably got started when sailors saw marine mammals like
manatees and dolphins in the ocean. Think about what it would be like to be a
mermaid (or merman) and live your entire life in the ocean water. Write a story
about a day in a mermaid’s (or merman’s) life.
Provided by the Pelotes Island Nature Preserve, JEA & FPL

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Marine and Aquatic Mammals

Standards-Based Math Questions

Marine and aquatic mammals come in many sizes. An otter is 1 meter long; a killer
whale is 9 meters long; and a blue whale is 33 meters long. Use this information to
answer the following questions.

1. There are about 3 feet in a meter. Estimate the length of a killer whale in feet.

a) 3 feet
b) 6 feet
c) 27 feet
d) 36 feet


2. A scientist saw an otter, a killer whale, and a blue whale during his research trip. He
forgot to write down which he saw first, second, and third. Think about the different
orders he may have seen them in. How many different orders are possible?

a) 3
b) 6
c) 7
d) 10


3. Based on the lengths of the marine and aquatic animals listed above, which
combination of animals do you estimate would have the greatest weight?

a) Otter and killer whale
b) Otter and blue whale
c) Killer whale and blue whale
d) Two killer whales


4. Which of the following pairs of lines best describes the relationship between the
lengths of blue whales and killer whales?

a)


b)



c)


d)
Provided by the Pelotes Island Nature Preserve, JEA & FPL

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Marine and Aquatic Mammals – Answers

Writing

For All - Use the rubric for Florida Writes! – 6 points






1. LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.2.2.3, LA.B.2.2.5
2. LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.2.2.3, LA.B.2.2.6
3. LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.2.2.3, LA.B.2.2.6
4. LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.2.2.3, LA.B.2.2.6
5. LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.2.2.3, LA.B.2.2.6
6. LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.2.2.3, LA.B.2.2.5


Math

1. c) MA.B.3.2.1
2. b) MA.D.1.2.1
3. c) MA.A.3.2.3
4. a) MA.B.3.2.1



Reading

1. b) LA.A.1.2.3, Bloom’s Taxonomy Level one
2. c) LA.A.2.2.2, Bloom’s Taxonomy Level two
3. b) LA.A.2.2.1, Bloom’s Taxonomy Level one
4. c) LA.A.2.2.1, Bloom’s Taxonomy Level one
5. b) LA.A.2.2.1, Bloom’s Taxonomy Level one
6. d) LA.A.2.2.2, Bloom’s Taxonomy Level two



Provided by the Pelotes Island Nature Preserve, JEA & FPL

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