Lesson plan: Dolphins and Sea Lions: The U.S. Marine Guardians
II. While Reading Activities
Word Inference
- detect |diˈtekt| verb [ with obj. ] discover or identify the presence or existence of: cancer may soon be detected in its earliest stages.
- *mammals măm′əl-noun-any vertebrate of the class Mammalia, having the body more or less covered with hair, nourishing the young with milk from the mammary glands, and, with the exception of the egg-laying monotremes, giving birth to live young.
- *murky /ˈmɜːkɪ/ adjective-obscure or thick with mist, smoke, fog, haze, etc., as the air.
- retrieve |riˈtrēv| verb [ with obj. ] get or bring (something) back; regain possession of: I was sent to retrieve the balls from his garden
- effective |iˈfektiv| adjective-successful in producing a desired or intended result: effective solutions to environmental problems.
- overwhelmed |ˌōvərˈ(h)welm| verb [ with obj. ] be too strong for; overpower: the wine doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the trout.
- sonar |ˈsōˌnär| noun- a system for the detection of objects under water and for measuring the water’s depth by emitting sound pulses and detecting or measuring their return after being reflected. The method of echolocation used in air or water by animals such as whales and bats.
- overboard board |ˈōvərˌbôrd| adverb-from a ship into the water: the severe storm washed a man overboard.
- deployed |diˈploi| verb [ with obj. ] bring into effective action; utilize: they are not always able to deploy this skill.
- amphibious |amˈfibēəs| adjective-relating to, living in, or suited for both land and water: amphibious habitats | an amphibious vehicle.
Sources:
New Oxford American Dictionary
Reading Comprehension
True /False/NA-Statements
- F- The ability of these animals to detect and find targets at depth or in murky water is something technology can’t duplicate yet.
- T- The Sevastopol-based “combat dolphins” are trained to search for and tag underwater mines.
- F- The U.S. Navy trains its marine mammals—including California sea lions and bottlenose dolphins—to find and retrieve equipment lost at sea.
- F- Bottlenose dolphins are better than any machine as far as detecting mines.
- F- Researchers still don’t know how dolphins can detect mines.
- NA-Baby sea lions are good at detecting mines because of their size.
- T- California sea lions, while they don’t possess sonar capabilities, have excellent eyesight.
- NA-The navy also train sharks to detect other ships.
- NA-Sharks are being considered for future use in the U.S. military.
- T-Both California sea lions and bottlenose dolphins are fairly hardy, smart, and very trainable.
Grammar Focus
Structure and Usage
I. 3-It’s unclear how the Russian navy intends to use these combat dolphins.
II. 2-The dolphins are also used to detect underwater mines.
III. 2–California sea lions, while they don’t possess sonar capabilities, have excellent eyesight.
While Listening Activities
Sentence Fill-ins
- The Navy became interested in dolphins after WW II.
- Medical care is provided for the animals.
- The medical staff includes a team of veterinarians from the army.
- Dolphins also have hearing tests.
- This program has contributed the most scientific information about marine mammals than any other organization.
- The program helps to define what marine mammals can and cannot do in support of navy operations.
- Dolphins are trained to signal when they find underwater mines.
- Dolphins don’t swim away because they receive food and love.
- Navy sea lions are used in the recovery of training mines.
- It takes years to train dolphins and sea lions.
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