Description

Brenda Boreham

Pacific Edge Publishing

52 pp, softcover, blackline masters

Level: Grades 2-5

Summary

Alexandra Morton spent many years observing and studying orca in the wild. Her book, In the Company of Whales, gives the reader a fascinating glimpse into the life of a scientist working in the field. The book consists of a collection of notes, photographs, and diary entries that provide a wealth of information about the whales living in the waters off the coast of North America.

Comment

This book is an excellent resource for a teacher, at any grade level, who is planning to use the orca as a basis for a theme of study. Specific information and data is easy to locate as it is separated from the diary entries and enclosed in black outline boxes. In the Company of Whales is written at an intermediate level but could easily be used as a read aloud for primary students. The book could be read as a whole, or in parts, as the class works through a unit of study on the orca.

Table of Contents

UNIT OVERVIEW

INTEGRATED STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

Pre-Reading
– Museum Collection
– Viewing a Video
– Brainstorming
– Pre-test

Reading
– Brainstorming
– Listening for Information
– Venn Diagram
– Reading for Information

Writing
– Border Paper
– Patterns

Spelling
– Word List
– Word Search Spellamadoodle

Research
– Group Project
– Individual Project

Science
– Orea Appearance
– Orea Communication
– Identification of Whales
– Families
– Behaviour
– Food Chain Flip book
– Book Mark
– Read and Think

Math
– Dice Game

P.E.
– Whale in the Sea
– Orea Balancing Relay

Art
– Stuffed Whale Mobile Draw a Whale
– Orcas in the Wild Picture

EVALUATION
– Pre-Test/Post-Test
– Cooperative Leaming Activity Evaluation
– Book Evaluation
– Activity Evaluation

RELATED RESOURCES