Oregon State University's Marine Mammal Institute strives to advance conservation and the understanding of marine mammals by studying ecology, distribution, habitats, population abundance, and the effect of ocean health and anthropogenic activities. 

Curriculum for Science Teachers, Grades 6-9

As part of its education mission, the Institute worked with several accomplished marine educators to produce a whale-focused curriculum for grades 6–9, using the appeal of whales to help teach science and math. To view the materials, click on the image or title below. It is available for download but you may also purchase the printed book. Copyrighted materials belong to the Marine Mammal Institute.

The Great Whales (click here for a PDF version)

by Vicki Osis, Susan Leach Snyder, Rachel Gross, Bill Hastie and Beth Broadhurst

Produced by the OSU Marine Mammal Institute
Price: $17, plus $4 shipping and handling
119 pages

To order a printed copy, mail a check payable to Oregon State University to:
Marine Mammal Institute, 2030 SE Marine Science Dr., Newport OR 97365

This new curriculum provides a comprehensive look at whales, using engaging
illustrations and classroom activities to immerse students in a fascinating study.

Topics include: an introduction to whales, whale habitats, exploitation of whales,
current threats to whales, whale investigations, and current whale research. Materials are matched to national science education standards.

 

Whale Watching Spoken Here

Each winter, Dr. Bruce Mate teaches a weekend course to volunteers of the Whale Watching Spoken Here program. These 200–400 volunteers then help to educate 40,000 visitors to the Oregon Coast during the height of the gray whale migration cycle. For more information, contact the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.