Did you know that blue whales are baleen whales? Learn more about baleen whales and get a free printable below. But first, here are some more fun facts about Blue whales!
Fun Facts About Blue Whales for Kids
- Blue whales are the largest animals in the world. They can grow up to 100 feet long, that’s as long as three school buses!
- Blue whales can weigh as much as 200 tons, that’s as heavy as 400 elephants!
- Blue whales eat small animals called krill, which are like tiny shrimp. They can eat up to 4 tons of krill in a day!
- Blue whales have a very loud voice, in fact, their songs can be heard up to 1,000 miles away!
- Blue whales can swim very fast, they can reach speeds of up to 25 miles per hour!
- Blue whales are found in all the oceans of the world, but they migrate to different places depending on the time of year.
- Blue whales can live for up to 100 years, which means they can live for as long as several human lifetimes!
- Blue whales are an endangered species, which means there are not many of them left in the world. People are working to protect them so that their numbers can increase again.
What are Baleen Whales?
Blue Whales are baleen whales. Baleen whales are a type of whale that have special comb-like plates in their mouths instead of teeth. These plates, called baleen, are made of a hard material called keratin. Baleen whales use these plates to filter food out of the water. They open their mouths wide and take in lots of water, then they close their mouths and push the water out through the baleen, trapping small animals like krill and plankton inside. Some examples of baleen whales are the humpback whale, the blue whale and the gray whale. They are typically larger than toothed whales and feed on small organisms such as krill and plankton. They are known for their beautiful songs and acrobatic displays.
The Parts of a Baleen Whale
- Baleen: Baleen is the comb-like plates in the mouths of baleen whales. They are made of a hard material called keratin and used to filter small animals like krill and plankton out of the water.
- Blowholes: Blowholes are the nostrils of baleen whales, located on the top of their heads. They use them to breathe in air when they come to the surface.
- Flukes: Flukes are the two large triangular shaped tail fins on the end of a baleen whale’s tail. They use them to swim and move through the water.
- Pectoral fins: Pectoral fins are the two fins located on the sides of a baleen whale’s body, near the head. They use them for steering and balancing when swimming.
- Dorsal fin: The dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of a baleen whale’s body. It helps the whale to maintain balance and stability while swimming.
Use our free parts of a baleen whale 3-part cards to practice vocabulary. Blacklines are included so children can make their own booklets!
How To Get This Printable
I’ve added this printable to the Resource Library so head over there if you’d like to download a copy for yourself. The Library is a free resource for our newsletter subscribers. If you’re already a subscriber, your password is in the most recent newsletter. If you’re not a subscriber yet, please sign up below. The password will be included in your welcome email after you confirm. Thank you very much for joining me!
Seemi holds a Master's degree in education, and an AMS Early Childhood credential. She has twenty years of experience in Montessori as a teacher, school administrator, and school owner. She is the founder of TrilliumMontessori.org.