Build A Whale

One of the more memorable opportunities for learning we are able to enjoy this term is the ‘Build a Whale” project that comes to us via the Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society based in Tofino. They have created an educational experience based on an Orca skeleton that can be assembled and disassembled on a framework that is transported in the back of a van to schools all over the Island. In addition to being an impressive exhibit in the Ross atrium, this skeleton allows our students to appreciate more keenly the nature of these creatures and their importance in the local ecosystem, endangered as they are by human activity of all kinds. We have also been able to connect with several elementary schools which have visited to enjoy the hands-on experience of building the skeleton and using the activity as a springboard for inquiry. Close to 200 students, Grades 1 to 5 have been led through the activity by some of our senior biology students. It has been a joy to have this many little ones on campus and it has been memorable for our students to have had the experience of teaching them. It is the second time we have had the whale on campus and no doubt in a few years time it will make another visit.