In this craft, make a mobile and learn how the orca’s black-and-white pattern help it survive in the sea.

What You Need

• Glue
• Black and white paper (thick enough to not flop over)
• Orca mobile pattern
• Scissors
• String
• Tape

What You Do

1. Download and Print the Pattern
   Download and print the orca mobile pattern.

   

2. Cut Out Pattern
   Using the pattern, cut the whale’s body and dorsal fin out of black construction paper. Then cut out two eyespots and the whale’s belly patch from white paper.
3. Assemble Whale
   Glue on the belly patch. Then flip the whale over and glue the eyes onto the top of the head. Fold the bottom of the fin up about 1/4 of an inch and glue the folded flap to the whale’s back so that the dorsal fin stands up.
4. Attach String
   Poke a hole near the top of the dorsal fin. Cut a piece of string to the desired length, and thread it through the hole. Tie a knot to hold it in place. Tape the other end of the string to the ceiling to make the whale swim overhead.
5. Talk About a Whale’s Coloring
   Before hanging the whale, suspend it over a dark surface and ask your child to look at it from above. Can he or she see how the dark color helps the whale blend in? Then look at it from below, holding the whale up to the sky or a white ceiling. Tell your child that the white patch matches the light sky and helps break up the whale’s outline. The black-and-white coloring makes the orca harder to see.