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Tracking
Gray Whale Migration
From California Observation Posts
(Data Courtesy of ACS-LA
and ACS-CI)
| Time |
Overview
Gray whales
migrate the farthest of any mammal. Their spring journey from the warm
birthing lagoons in Mexico to their frigid arctic feeding grounds is
more than 5,000 miles! Journey North follows the migration of these
gentle giants and their new babies up the Pacific Coast. Climb
to a cliffside post and count migrating whales with the dedicated ACS
Gray Whale Census volunteers. We'll collect live data from the ACS/Los
Angeles post and also—in their first census year—the ACS/Channel
Islands post farther up the California coast.
Preparation
Have students (1) read our downloadable booklet, Gray
Whales: The Monumental Migration (or view its slide
show format) and (2) explore the Gray
Whale Migration Route Map. Decide if you will track the migration
past the Los Angeles Observation Post (northbound whales as well as
those still traveling south), the Channel Islands Observation Post (northbound
only), or both. Challenge students to come up with a way to graph the
migration data, or print for
each student (or student-group) these sheets provided as guides:
ACS-Los
Angeles Study |
ACS-Channel Islands Study |
| Migration Data Recording Sheets | |
| •Los Angeles [PDF] | •Channel Islands [PDF] |
| Graphs | |
| •February (Northbound) [PDF] | •February [PDF] |
| •February (North & South) [PDF] | |
| •March (Northbound) [PDF] | •March [PDF] |
| •March (North & South) [PDF] | |
| •April (Northbound) [PDF] | •April [PDF] |
| •April (North & South) [PDF] | |
| •May (Northbound) [PDF] | •May [PDF] |
| •May (North & South) [PDF] |
Laying
the Groundwork
As
the season begins, students should have these "big picture"
understandings:
- Gray whales migrate up the Pacific Coast in the spring, from Mexico to Alaska.
- Many gray whales are still migrating south when Journey North's season begins! Only a few whales have started their northward migration by Feb. 1.
- All Gray whales do not travel together or at the same time. In general, groups of whales travel in “pulses.” The pulses generally move up the coast in this order: (1) newly pregnant females, (2) males, juveniles from the previous year and non-pregnant females, (3) cow/calf pairs.
- Gray whale migration is complex. There are many exceptions to the general notes above about migration patterns.There is still much scientists want to learn about this migration, which has been happening for eons.
- Gray whales are hard to see during migration! We can’t follow a single whale or group of whales.
- Thanks to trained volunteer whale watchers who collect data, we can track the migration from the vantage of a single observation post offshore from Los Angeles, California, as well as from a single observation post in the Channel Islands.
- We will watch for key migration events: the turnaround date when northbound whales outnumber southbound whales, and the end of the southbound migration (Los Angeles post only); identifiable pulses; the first northbound calf (with its mom); peak migration dates for the cow/calf pairs; the first whales sighted in the Gulf of Alaska at Kodiak.
Exploration
Sets
of data from the ACS-Los Angeles post and from the ACS-Channel Islands
Observation post will be provided in each migration update for your
convenience. Students will predict and revisit as, with each migration
report, they:
1)
Record Migration Data
•
ACS-Los Angeles Study: Daily
data will be collected in two categories: "All Gray Whales"
and "Gray Whale Calves." Data will show numbers of whales
in two directions of travel: Northbound or Southbound.
• ACS-Channel Islands Study:
Daily data will be collected in two categories:
"All Gray Whales" and "Gray Whale Calves," northbound
only.
2)
Graph the Data
•
ACS-Los Angeles Study:
Students
will maintain two graphs: One for Adults and Calves Northbound, and
one for Adults and Calves Northbound and Southbound.
• ACS-Channel Islands Study:
Students
will maintain one graph for Adults and Calves Northbound.
3) Analyze the Graphs: Guiding questions will be provided
in each update to help students analyze migration patterns and predict
key events. Students will routinely revisit their predictions and explanations
with each new update.
Making
Connections — Journaling and Discussion Questions
Students
should maintain a journal and/or
portfolio through the season
to respond to Journey North Challenge Questions and Journaling Questions
in updates as well as to reflect on observations, experiences, and data.
They can use journals to speculate and put forth opinions, theories,
and hypotheses.
• What patterns did you see? How did they compare with your initial predictions?
•
In what ways was the migration different than you predicted? Explain
what you did not know originally that caused your prediction to be
off.
• What did you learn about geography and climate from the migration?
• What did you learn about whale biology and adaptations?
• What unanswered questions do you have about gray whale migration?
Assessment
Use the Making Predictions
Using Data rubric as you listen to discussions, review student journals,
and see how students revise predictions.
Use assessment
suggestions available in Reading and Writing Connections (look for 
to see which activities are accompanied by these
rich lessons). Some will be presented in migration updates throughout
the season. They are also listed on our Resources
page.
National Science Education Standards
- Use data to conduct a reasonable explanation.
- Think critically and logically to make relationships between evidence and explanations. (5-8)
- Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.
- Plants and animals have life cycles that include being born, developing into adults, reproducing, and eventually dying.
National Geography Standards
- How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information.
National Math Standards
- Develop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on data.
- Understand patterns, relations, and functions.
- Select and use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data.
Copyright
2005 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.
Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our
feedback form
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