WHALES

Did you know that the largest animal ever to inhabit the earth is still alive today? And that this animal eats creatures smaller than your little finger? The blue whale is bigger than the largest dinosaur ever was, growing to a length of 100 feet and more than 150 tons. Its smaller cousin, the California gray whale, currently is migrating south past Orange County, where the Dana Point Festival of Whales begins Saturday. To learn more about whales, use the direct links on the Times Launchpoint Web site: https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/.

Here are the best sites for getting your schoolwork done or for just having fun.

LEVEL 1

A Day on a Whale Watch: Sail with scientists along the Gulf of Maine in this online whale watch. Learn how to identify different whales by their coloring, the shape of their fins and tails and by their movements.

https://whale.wheelock.edu/whalenet-stuff/ whalewatchsmyth.html

Whale Unit: Beluga whales are called the “Canaries of the Sea” because of the many clicks, squeaks and whistles they make to communicate. Find out more about different types of whales through these student research reports.

https://www.fcps.k12.va.us/ ChurchillRoadES/ crs9798/bamdad/whale/

California Gray Whale Tutorial: “Thar she blows” refers to when a whale exhales a breath and causes a blast of air, water vapor and water drops to rise into the air. Read about spouting as well as other whale behaviors. Learn about the California gray whale’s 5,000 mile annual migration from the Arctic Circle to Baja California.

https://www.slocs.k12.ca.us/whale/whale1.html

LEVEL 2

Whale Watcher Expert System: Have you ever seen a whale and not been sure what type it was? Use the online Whale Watcher program that determines which whale you saw based on questions regarding the whale’s appearance and behavior.

https://vvv.com/ai/demos/whale.html

Whale FAQ: What type of whale was “Moby Dick”? How long can a whale stay under water? What is being done now to protect whales? This site answers these and many other questions.

https://whales.magna.com.au/faq/

Let’s Go Explore the World of Whales: Learn about different types of whales and what factors impact their habitats. Find out how scientists use radio tags and satellites to study whale migration.

https://www.hmsc.orst.edu/ education/whales/t--of--c.htm

LEVEL 3

Whales and Dolphins: Other than manatees, whales and dolphins are the only mammals that live their entire lives in water. Learn important facts about whales, including the differences between baleen and toothed whales.

https://www.skio.peachnet.edu/noaa/tw/whales.html

Marine Mammal Vocalizations: Language or Behavior? Listen to an assortment of whale and dolphin sounds. Read what scientists think of the Morse Code-like whistles and clicks these animals make.

https://www.umassd.edu/Public/People/Kamaral/ thesis/marinemammalacoustics.html

A Whale of a Business: Hear both sides of the debate regarding whether it is right to capture whales and other sea mammals for marine parks and other uses. Learn about killer whale Keiko, star of “Free Willy” and the efforts being made to return him to the wild.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/ frontline/shows/whales/

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for appropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This week’s column was designed by Stan Woo-Sam and Anna Manring.

EXPLORER’S QUEST

The answer to this Internet quiz can be found in the sites at right.

How do whales sleep?

Clue: See Whale FAQ

Tell Us What You Want To Know

Got a paper or project coming up? Just curious about something? Send us a topic, and we’ll consider it for a future Launch Point column. Write to us at The Times Orange County, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626. E-mail us at educ@latimes.com or leave a phone message at (714) 966-4550.

Answer to last week’s Quest:

The best time to see the Northern Lights from Alaska is between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.