FOR SEA Institute of Marine Science
Back to
The Tuna/Dolphin Controversy
The Tuna/Dolphin Controversy Table of Contents Return to Main Menu

UNDERSTANDING THE TUNA/DOLPHIN CONTROVERSY

FOR SEA: Investigating Marine Science

Table of Contents

Click on a lesson title to view the complete lesson as a pdf.

Want to customize the lesson? Click on the “” icon that follows the
lesson overview to download the lesson as an editable Word document

Introduction

Credits

Bibliography

Unit 1- Issues & Actions
   1. The Tuna/Dolphin Controversy
Students read about the Tuna/Dolphin controversy and are challenged to write to businesses/lawmakers and to develop a method of fishing tuna.

   2. Canned Tuna
Students look for the label “dolphin safe” on cans of tuna and write letters either supporting a total ban on catching dolphins or letters which state that now the problem needs further study to assure the health of the ocean ecosystem.

   3. The Tuna/Dolphin Controversy – Part 2
Students examine case histories of human use and management of dolphin populations.

Unit 2- Dolphin Adaptations

   1. Hear Sighted
Students analyze data as they role-play dolphin features and echolocation.

   2. Dolphin Adaptations: Echolocation
Slinky wave puzzles are used to determine the distance between a student and an object.

Unit 3- Dolphin Food Chains & Webs

   1. Food Web
Students make a physical model of food webs, food chains and pyramids to show the interrelationships of organisms, nutrients and energy in a marine ecosystem.

   2. String for Your Supper
Student teams create a mobile representing an ocean food web.


Below, you’ll find helpful resources for use with the above activities.

Unit 1: Issues & Actions

Activity 1 The Tuna/Dolphin Controversy
A Tuna/Dolphin Bibliography
The Tuna-Dolphin Controversy- article
Yellowfin tuna fishing
Sample student response

Activity 3 The Tuna/Dolphin Controversy – Part 2
An Ecological View of the Tuna-Dolphin Problem – article
An Ecological View of the Tuna-Dolphin Problem – Table 2
Congressional Research Brief – Dolphin Protection and Tuna Seining
Tuna Boat sale advertisement – complete
Tuna Boat sale advertisement – sample student activity

Unit 2: Dolphin Adaptations

Activity 1 Hear Sighted
Common Dolphin Life History
Spinner Dolphin life History
Spotted Dolphin life History

Activity 2 Dolphin Adaptations: Echolocation
Whale Adaptations

” Icon made by Pixel perfect from www.flaticon.com



Return to The Tuna/Dolphin Controversy