How Whales Help Fight Climate Change
Provided by: NowThis Earth|Published on: April 27, 2021
Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Videos
Subjects: Biology
Authors: NowThis Earth
Region: Global
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This video from NowThis Earth discusses whales, their role in sequestering carbon in the world's oceans, and the threats they face, such as entanglement in fishing gear.
- The video also suggests individual and collective action steps we can all take to protect whales.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Many students will be unaware of whales' relationship to climate change.
- Learning about the relationship between whale poop, phytoplankton, and carbon sequestration is amazing!
Prerequisites
- The term "blue carbon" may be new for many students. Blue carbon is carbon that is sequestered in the oceans and ocean ecosystems.
- There is an error in the text in the video at 2 minutes, 52 seconds. The speaker in the video, Carissa Cabrera, says "support the initiative called 30 by 30," but the text says "support the innovative called 30 by 30."
Differentiation & Implementation
- This video can be shown in a history class when studying the whaling industry. Students can make the connection between historical and modern whaling and whales' importance to addressing the climate crisis.
- In a biology class, students can study populations of specific whale species and efforts to conserve these species.
- Another great resource we have on oceans and phytoplankton is this interactive lab from TERC.
The resource spotlights the importance of whales in global carbon sequestration and the need to conserve marine resources including whales, the food web, and marine ecosystem. This is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
