Orca Search

Step 2
Your Next Research Assignment

Start a new sheet in your Research Log for this assignment. On the top of the page, write "Things We Know About Orcas". Divide your log sheet into three columns with the headings of "Questions", "Information Found" and Source". Copy the questions into your Research Log and leave space for your answer and the source of information. Your log page might look something like this example.

Below are a list of basic questions that your research team has asked to begin the research about killer whales. Use as much space as you need for the notes you will take to answer these questions.

You may conduct your research using the Internet links on this page or by using any other information source that can be found in your school or local library. Don’t forget to take notes and to keep track of the source you used to find the answers to your questions!

Research Questions:

• What is the scientific name of the killer whale?
• To what sea family does the killer whale belong? Is an Orca really a whale?
• What does a killer whale look like? Describe its color, and special physcial markings.
• How long is an average killer whale?
• How much does an average killer whale weigh?
• How fast can a killer whale travel in the water?
• What and how much do killer whales eat?
• Where in our world’s oceans would you find killer whales?

Internet Links:

• What about Whales?
  http://www.aquarium.org/whales/orca/orca01.htm

  Beware…this site uses Java!

• All About Whales! Whale Information Sheets
  http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales

  Just find the "Orca or Killer Whale" Information Sheet and click on it.

Fantastic! Your research teammates will be proud of your progress. Be sure to keep your notes from this investigation.

Click on Step 3: Investigating Orcas to go to the next step.

This resource originally created by Lucy M. Schiller