Second-Graders Raise Money To Adopt Orca

Friday, February 15, 2008
SAN JACINTO, CALIFORNIA - The two second-grade classes at San Jacinto Valley Academy are raising money to adopt an orca whale.

The idea originated with Tyler James, a student in Kathleen Walker's second grade class.

“We have all been learning about whales, and Tyler was the one who spearheaded the research on the orca whale,” Walker said. “We use the inquiry method of teaching, which involves student-driven questions, which we use for research.”

Tyler said he got the idea from a book.

“I was reading a book about whales, and at the end of the book it mentioned how you could adopt a whale,” Tyler said. “I chose the orca because I think it is a really cool whale.”

The students contacted the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, Wash., and received information on how to adopt an orca.

The class was told that more than 80 whales live off the coast where the museum is situated and that researchers can identify each whale by the shape and size of its dorsal fin and by the gray and white markings beneath and behind each fin.

Each whale is given an ID number and a name.

Walker said that the whale the classes adopt will be “in the wild ocean water off of Washington state. Every year, they will give us a report on the whale, which is tagged and tracked.”

Unfortunately, the classes will not get a chance to visit the whale because of the distance, but “we will get pictures of the whale we adopt,” Walker said.

The classes will receive a biography of the whale and information about the whale's pod, or family; a newsletter; a book about orca whales; and a monthly e-mail about the adopted whale.

The students are donating $2 each for the adoption.

“This is an ongoing project. The $2 per student is a one-time donation, but the students will follow the progress of the whale throughout the rest of the school year,” Walker said.

The children are earning their money in various ways. Walker felt it would be too easy for the parents to donate $2, so she asked the students to raise the funds by doing things at home for the parents and families.

Edgar Guillen is one of the students who has been doing chores to earn funds.

“I do my chores and I help my mom and my dad and my brother, and I clean up the back and front yard. My mom gives me money for these chores and I can use it for the orca whale,” he said.

Kaye Brewster, the teacher of the other second-grade class involved in the adoption of the orca whale, added: “The kids are very excited about adopting an orca whale and they have been doing chores at home to raise the money. It is a great second-grade project.”

Source: The Valley Chronicle