The Scientific Method Oceanography

Whales and their Sonar  In the oceans, where distances can be long and visibility can be short, many animal species rely on sound to communicate, navigate, and monitor their surroundings. The haunting cries and clicks of whales are both beautiful and vital to their survival.

Whales and their Sonar  Using "songs" whales can communicate with one another across several hundred kilometers of ocean. Whale sonar allows the animals to find food, safely travel along irregular coastlines, and migrate to and from breeding and feeding grounds.

Whales and their Sonar  Ship traffic, oil and gas exploration, scientific research activities, and the use of military sonar and communications equipment have caused an increase in ambient (background) marine noise of two orders of magnitude in the last 60 years.

Whales and their Sonar  Recent studies suggest that noise pollution can harm whales directly by damaging their hearing, and in extreme cases, causing internal bleeding and death. More commonly, it appears that excessive or prolonged noise can cause behavioral changes that interfere with the health and survival of the animals.

Whales and Beach Strandings  In this activity, you will consider one type of whale behavior that has been linked to manmade noise, stranding (getting beached or stuck on the beach).

Scientific Method – Step 1  What is the question? Write the question as Step 1 on the left-hand side of your Science Notebook, Page 4.

Scientific Method – Step 2  Observations  We are going to assume that you have made some observations on your own, and you have researched observations made by other scientists.  What you have discovered is that the whales travelling pattern is disturbed by background noises in the ocean.  What you do not know yet is how the whales are impacted by one background noise versus multiple background noises.

Scientific Method – Step 3  State your hypothesis (your prediction) based on what you currently know. “Whales will become stranded if their sonar is disturbed by __#___ background noises.”

Scientific Method – Step 4  Test the hypothesis by exploring this program found at the website below:  oaa oaa  Go to Ocean Pollution - Whales

Scientific Method – Step 5  State your conclusions  Was your hypothesis (prediction) correct (right) or not (wrong)?  Did testing your hypothesis provide additional information so that you could correct your hypothesis statement?

Answer Website Questions A & C  Answer Questions A and C at the bottom of the Whale simulator program.  Answer the Questions on Page 4 of your Science Notebook after you have completed writing out how this exercise fits into the steps of the Scientific Method.

Raise Your Hand for a Stamp  When you have completed the following, raise your hand:  Whales and Beach Strandings in the Scientific Method Format  Answers to Questions A & C from below the Whale Stranding Program (hint: if you copy the answers or copy a friend NO STAMP)!