Grades
2–3
Unit 1
Keys to Survival
Two Deep Divers:
bit.ly/toptalentepi1
Which animal is Georgia Aquarium’s top talent?
You decide! The harbor seal takes on the Atlantic
bottlenose dolphin in a dance-off before a panel of
three penguin judges. Dive in to check out the fancy
fin- and flipper-work by these amazing animals in
the “Aquarium’s Top Talent” video presented by
Georgia-Pacific.
Next Generation Science Standard
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, 3-LS4-3
For any particular environment, some kinds of organisms survive well, some survive less well
and some cannot survive at all. Many animals adapt to their environments to survive. For example,
bottlenose dolphins live in groups to get food, defend themselves and care for their young.
A dolphin uses sound to “create a picture of its surroundings,”
a feature called echolocation. The harbor seal is able to
store oxygen in its blood and muscles, an adaptation
WORDS TO KNOW
that allows it to dive deeply and stay underwater to
adapt: to change to fit a new or
find food and avoid predators. When organisms
specific use or situation
like bottlenose dolphins and harbor seals adapt
adaptation: a change in an organism
well to their environments, they are more likely
or its parts that better fits it for the
to survive.
conditions of its environment
INTRODUCING THE LESSON:
1. In advance, write each scenario below on two separate paper strips (for a total of eight strips).
Then put the strips in a bag.
• The power has gone off. There is no electricity in the classroom!
• All the desk chairs have been taken away. There’s nothing to sit on!
• Where are all the pencils, pens and markers? There’s nothing to write with!
• A teacher is absent and there is no substitute, so we need to share our classroom with
another class today!
2. Ask students what they think adapt means. Discuss their answers and then share the word’s
definition.
3. Divide the class into groups of three or four students. Have a student from each group draw a
strip from the bag. Then have each group consider its scenario and record its responses to the
following questions: How will you need to adapt to have a successful learning day? How will
your teacher need to adapt?
4. Invite each group to share its scenario and its responses with the class. Point out that
the responses describe adaptations, or ways that the class would survive, in a changed
environment. Then discuss the meaning of adaptation when referring to animals surviving in
their environments. Tell students they will be learning about two different animals—the harbor
seal and the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin—and how these mammals have adapted for living in
their special environments.
©2014 Georgia-Pacific. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC
Grades
2–3
Keys to Survival
Just Breathe!
Next Generation Science Standard
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, 3-LS4-3
For any particular environment, some kinds of
organisms survive well some survive less well and some
cannot survive at all.
ESTIMATED LESSON TIME: 20–25 minutes
MATERIALS FOR EACH PAIR OF STUDENTS:
access to a stopwatch or a clock with a second hand
Background Information:
Bottlenose dolphins and harbor seals have special adaptations that help them survive in their
environments. A dolphin is a fast swimmer; it can swim fast enough to porpoise, or swim up and
out of the water in a continuous motion, to conserve energy. A harbor seal can swim as fast as
12 miles per hour but usually cruises at slower speeds.
However, it can dive deeply—to 295 feet—and
stay submerged for long periods of time.
Both animals, like all marine mammals,
WORDS TO KNOW
have special adaptations that help them
porpoise: to swim up and out of the water in a
conserve oxygen as they dive below the
continuous motion
surface.
conserve: to use something carefully in order
to prevent loss or waste
submerged: covered with water
Lesson:
1. Divide the class into student pairs. Then have each set of partners complete the experiment.
EXPERIMENT STEPS
1. Sit quietly in a chair. As your partner times you, breathe normally for one
minute, counting the number of breaths you take. Record the number.
2. Walk around the room at a normal pace for one minute. Then continue
walking for one more minute, counting the number of breaths you take.
Record the number.
3. Jog in place for one minute. Then continue jogging for one more minute,
counting the number of breaths you take. Record the number.
4. Repeat Step 2.
5. Repeat Step 1.
©2014 Georgia-Pacific. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC
Grades
2–3
Keys to Survival
2. When all the partners have completed the experiment, ask the class the following
questions:
• What did you observe about your breathing rate when you went from sitting to walking
to jogging? (Breathing rates increased with an increase in activity.)
• What did you observe about your breathing rate when you went from jogging to
walking to sitting? (Breathing rates decreased with a decrease in activity.)
• Why do you think a change in your breathing rate occurs when you increase or
decrease your activity? (As the body becomes more active, it uses more oxygen. To
maintain normal levels of oxygen in the body, the activity of the respiratory system
increases to keep up with the body’s activity.)
3. Ask students, “What happens to your breathing when you swim or dive underwater?”
After hearing their responses, explain that both harbor seals and bottlenose dolphins
have special adaptations that help them conserve oxygen as they dive below the surface.
When the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin and the harbor seal dive, their heart rates slow
down to about four beats per minute. Both of these mammals store oxygen in their blood
and muscles, and they both usually stay underwater for up to 10 minutes. But if needed,
a bottlenose dolphin can hold its breath for about 12 minutes and a harbor seal can stay
submerged for up to 30 minutes!
DID YOU KNOW?
Bottlenose dolphins can see forward,
backward and to the side, but they cannot
see up. That’s why, when a dolphin comes
alongside a boat, it turns on its side or back
to take a look at the people.
©2014 Georgia-Pacific. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC
eye: helps the dolphin see
moving objects; each eye
can move independent of
the other eye.
pectoral fins: also called
flippers; the dolphin uses
these mainly to steer and
to stop.
tail flukes: broad and
curved lobes with a deep
notch in the middle; the
tail is thick and muscular.
dorsal fin: a high and curved
fin; It may help balance the
dolphin as it swims.
Reading a diagram (3-LS4-3)
The Bottlenose Dolphin
An adult bottlenose dolphin can be from 8 to 12 feet long.
Its back is gray to dark gray. Its belly is light-colored. This
coloring may help the dolphin hide from enemies and from
prey. The bottlenose dolphin cannot breathe underwater. It
must come to the surface to breathe through its blowhole.
body shape: streamlined body that tapers at both
ends; it helps the dolphin swim efficiently.
rostrum:
long nose;
this is where
the name
“bottlenose”
is from.
melon: the
forehead;
it helps the
dolphin hear.
blowhole: what the
dolphin breathes
through; it’s covered
by a flap that keeps
water out.
©2014 Georgia-Pacific. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC
Bonus: Which word in the diagram means “producing a result with
minimal waste or unnecessary effort”? Which word means “becomes
smaller toward one end”?
6. What keeps the dolphin from breathing in water
when its below the surface?
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
5. What body part may help the dolphin keep its
balance while swimming? ___________________
4. How does the dolphin’s coloring help it survive?
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
3. How do the pectoral fins help the dolphin swim?
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
2. What’s another word for the dolphin’s
forehead? ______________________ Draw a
star on this part of the dolphin.
1. What body part is also known as flippers?
_________________________________________
Draw a star next to the part that tells you so.
Use the diagram to answer the questions about the bottlenose dolphin.
Dolphin Details
NameDate
©2014 Georgia-Pacific. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC
Bonus: efficiently, tapers
ANSWER KEY
1. pectoral fins
2.melon
3. They help the dolphin steer and stop.
4. It helps it hide from enemies and prey.
5. dorsal fin
6. A flap that covers the blowhole keeps water out.
KEYS TO SURVIVAL
Dolphin Details
Name
Date
Adaptations (3-LS4-3)
Living the Ocean Life
Over time, the bodies and behaviors of animals
change. These changes are called adaptations.
They help animals survive in their environments.
Bottlenose dolphins and harbor seals have adapted
to ocean life in several ways.
Swimming
Bottlenose dolphins are good swimmers. So are harbor seals. This
helps them catch food. It also helps them get away from other animals. Their
shape is narrow at both ends. This shape helps them move through the
water. Both animals have a layer of fat. This layer is called blubber. Blubber
keeps them warm in cold water.
Dolphins can swim up to 22 miles per hour. Seals can swim almost half
as fast. Both animals usually swim slowly. This saves their energy. Dolphins
can jump high up out of the water and dive back under. This uses less
energy than swimming fast on the surface.
Harbor seals use their four flippers to swim. They move their back flippers
side to side to push themselves forward. They use their front flippers to help
them steer. Harbor seals can swim forward and upside down.
Hunting How-To
Both dolphins and seals eat fish. They hunt in different ways. Dolphins often hunt in groups. The
group will gather around a large school of fish. Then they take turns eating the fish. Dolphins may follow
fishing boats. Then they eat any fish that are thrown overboard!
Dolphins can make up to 1,000 clicking noises per second. The sounds travel under the water and
bump into objects. They they bounce back to the dolphins as echoes. This is called echolocation. It
helps dolphins locate food and other animals.
Seals do not use echolocation. Instead, their long whiskers can sense water movements. This tells
them where fish or other animals are. Seals also have large eyes. They can see well in dark water.
Write the answers.
1. Animals adapt to their environments to help them_________________________.
2. True or false? Bottlenose dolphins and harbor seals are narrow in the middle
and wide on the ends.______________________________________________
3. Name one way blubber helps dolphins and harbor seals.___________________
________________________________________________________________
4. Why do dolphins use echolocation?____________________________________
________________________________________________________________
5. What body part helps harbor seals sense when food or other animals
are nearby?__________________________________________
©2014 Georgia-Pacific. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC
KEYS TO SURVIVAL
Living the Ocean Life
ANSWER KEY
1.survive
2.false
3. Blubber keeps dolphins and seals warm.
4. to locate food and other animals underwater
5.whiskers
©2014 Georgia-Pacific. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC