Deep Sea Diving!
Mrs. Beisel's class assembled 2 actual-size narwhals as part of their ocean studies unit, & then hung them from the ceiling in their classroom.
This project was done with the help of Highland Park parent/artist/musician Kim Anderson. Check out their project, & then learn more about the narwhal below!
The Narwhal is a rarely seen Arctic whale. Narwhal means "corpse whale" in Old Norse; this is perhaps a description of their skin, which is bluish-gray with white blotches (young narwhals are brown). This social whale is known for the VERY long tooth that males have. Narwhals can grow to be about 16 feet long (not counting the tooth).
All narwhals have two teeth in their upper jaw. After the first year of a male narwhal's life, its left tooth grows outward, spirally. This long, single tooth projects from its upper jaw and can grow to be 7-10 feet long. Tusks are usually twisted in a counterclockwise direction and have a hollow interior. The tusk's function is uncertain, but it is not used in hunting. Long ago, narwhal sightings reinforced (or started) the unicorn legends.
