Baleen whales

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/baleen-whales

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Mysticeti
2. What are baleen whales and how do they eat?Baleen whales have comb‑like plates in their mouths that act like a filter. They eat tiny plankton by gulping water, skimming it, or using bubble nets to catch fish.
3. Why do baleen whales have baleen instead of teeth?Their ancestors had teeth, but over time the teeth were replaced by baleen so they could eat lots of small food that other predators couldn’t reach.

Baleen: Keratinous plates that hang from the upper jaw of baleen whales, used for filtering small prey from water.
Mysticeti: The suborder of baleen whales, characterized by the absence of teeth and the presence of baleen plates.
Krill: Small, shrimp-like crustaceans that are a primary food source for many large baleen whale species.
Filter Feeding: A method of feeding where organisms strain food particles from water, characteristic of baleen whales.