82. 1st Grade SRR: Tails on Whales

What is that big shape in the water? It is a whale. Whales are huge. Small whales can seem quite big to us.

Whale tails are big, too. How do whales use these big, wide tails?

As whales swim, their tails pump up and down. This makes whales speed through the water.

Big fins help whales go this way and then that way. Whales swim fast and can go for miles and miles.

Whales live in the sea. Whales never need to be on land, but they do need air. Whales swim up to get it.

Whales take breaths through small holes on top of their heads and dive back under when they have enough air.

This whale eats squid. It uses its tail to dive deep under the waves to seek its meals. It catches squid with its huge teeth and eats a big meal. Then it pumps its tail to swim all the way back up to the top.

Whales like to play. Whales use those big tails to swim up fast and then leap from the water.

This huge whale leaps, spins, and lands on its back in the sea. That makes big waves!

This is a humpback whale’s tail. It sticks up and sways side to side. Then the whale slaps its tail on the water with a huge crash. We cannot tell if it does this to play or to call its pals. We need to know much more about whales!