Whales & Dolphins Are Mammals · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Whales and Dolphins Are Mammals, Not Fish

Science · Ocean Life · ages 5-7
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. How do whales and dolphins breathe?

    • Through gills, like fish
    • Through lungs, like us
    • They do not breathe

  2. What kind of animal is a whale?

    • A fish
    • A mammal
    • A bird

  3. Whale and dolphin babies drink milk from their mothers.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. A fish breathes underwater with gills. A whale comes up to the top of the water. Why does it do this?

    • It breathes air with lungs, like people
    • It is jumping for fun
    • It is lost and looking for its family

  5. Which fact shows a dolphin is a mammal, not a fish?

    • It breathes air and feeds its baby milk
    • It has a tail and swims in the sea
    • It is grey and very big

  6. Any animal that swims in the ocean is a fish.

    Circle one:   True   False

  7. A manatee lives in water, breathes air, and feeds its baby milk. Is a manatee a fish or a mammal?

    • Neither, it is a plant
    • Fish, because it lives in water
    • Mammal, because it breathes air and feeds milk

  8. Milo sees a dolphin jump. He thinks it is a fish because it lives in the ocean. What is wrong with his idea?

    • Living in water does not make an animal a fish
    • Dolphins do not really live in the ocean
    • Fish can also feed their babies milk
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Whales and Dolphins Are Mammals, Not Fish W1-mt_mRCPP_Ab2W-s1

  1. Through lungs, like us · Whales and dolphins have lungs and breathe air, just like you.
  2. A mammal · Whales and dolphins are mammals because they breathe air and drink milk.
  3. True · Just like human babies, mammal babies drink milk from their mothers.
  4. It breathes air with lungs, like people · A whale has lungs, not gills. It must come up for air.
  5. It breathes air and feeds its baby milk · Breathing air and feeding milk to babies are mammal traits. A tail or big size does not tell you that.
  6. False · Whales and dolphins swim in the ocean too. They are mammals, not fish.
  7. Mammal, because it breathes air and feeds milk · Breathing air and feeding milk are mammal signs. This is true even in water.
  8. Living in water does not make an animal a fish · Living in the ocean does not decide this. Breathing air and drinking milk show it is a mammal.
Worksheet · LightMySky