Dolphin Defender

Journey into the secret lives of dolphins.

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One Planet Challenge, 9th to 19th September

Teacher Toolkit

Deliver this unit with confidence using WDC-backed resources:
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✔ Lesson plans & curriculum maps
✔ Discussion prompts on pod ethics and conservation
✔ Student certificates and WDC-backed digital credentials
✔ Assessment criteria for student-led projects
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Unit Outline

Dolphins are a 50-million-year-old success story. From the icy Southern Ocean to the murky depths of the Amazon, these intelligent mammals have evolved unique “blueprints” to thrive across the globe.

In this unit, students investigate echolocation, pod culture, and the global conservation efforts working to protect dolphin populations.

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Themes

Explore key topics in this unit

This unit investigates marine biology, social behavior, and global conservation.

The Evolutionary Blueprint
Trace how dolphins evolved from a shared mammalian design into highly specialised species – from the formidable orca to the mysterious pink river dolphin.

Social Intelligence & Culture
Explore "social classrooms" where calves learn hunting trends, tool use, and signature whistles that act as names.

Evolution in Action
Examine how "form follows function," where diet and habitat drive physical adaptations like bio-sonar and streamlined anatomy.

Conservation & Agency
Confront human threats like bycatch and pollution, and discover how grassroots activism can restore ecosystems.

Learning Objectives

Understand what students will learn

This unit integrates curriculum science with real-world conservation action.

Scientific Foundations

  • Classify species and identify evolutionary traits across different marine environments.

  • Understand the social structures, emotional bonds, and vocal dialects of pod societies.

  • Analyse the science of echolocation and marine mammal physiology.

Real-World Applications

  • Evaluate the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and new conservation technologies.

  • Identify the specific threats facing endangered river dolphins and their impact on local human communities.

  • Design a student-led conservation proposal or awareness campaign.

Sample Content

How do dolphins hunt and survive in extreme environments?

Meet the family
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Damning the Dolphins
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The Power of People
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