The Whalemobile came to Manchester Memorial Elementary school two weeks ago, literally filling the school’s HUB area with excitement. To tie-in with the first graders' exploration of tide pools and the ocean, each class was able to crawl inside a life-sized inflatable whale, named “Nile,” and learn about the similarities and differences between whales and humans. The focus was mostly on humpback whales which are often seen off the coast of New England. The children were able to hold humpback baleen, partial whale bones, and real teeth from other types of whales. They played a matching game with their friends to find the same whale, using tail identification. The same technique is used by the scientists for identifying and naming whales in the ocean. Crawling inside of this life-sized mammal gave valuable perspective and each child was not only curious but very engaged.
This Enrichment program was organized by Memorial PTO and made possible by supporting local families.