Resources
Song for a Whale Resources
- Downloadable curriculum/discussion guide for Song For a Whale
- Visit the TeachingBooks website for lots of resources about Song For a Whale and Chained
- Listen to a recording of the 52 Hertz whale, who inspired Song For a Whale. He sings at a frequency unlike other whales, so he probably can’t communicate with others. The low sound is hard for humans to hear, so here it is sped up.
- See my article, “How the World’s Loneliest Whale Inspired a Kids’ Tale About Human Connection” in The Big Issue magazine
- There’s now a documentary about the 52 hertz whale! Check out The Loneliest Whale: The Search For 52
- Watch the Sonic Sea documentary to learn how ocean noise is affecting marine life
Learn More About Whales
- NPR article “It Took a Musician’s Ear to Decode the Complex Song in Whale Calls,” about musician and acoustic biologist Katy Payne
- Here’s what humpback whale songs look like on sheet music.
- Read more about the whale sheet music on this Smithsonian article
- Hear the calls of different marine mammals on the Voices In the Sea website
- Enchanted Learning’s whale page, with links to information sheets, activities, and more
- The WDC website has lots of information about whales and dolphins. See their Kid Zone section for activities, lessons, and whale and dolphin news written for kids
Chained Resources
- Visit the TeachingBooks website for lots of resources about Song For a Whale and Chained
- Downloadable curriculum guide for Chained
- Chained resource guide on the California Young Reader Medal site
Resources for Writers
- SCBWI
- Absolute Write
- The Purple Crayon
- Cynthia Leitich Smith
- If you’re interested in learning sign language, check out ASL University
