🌊 Ocean animal reports, grades 1–2
31 sheets, one animal each, so every child in a group gets a different one. Pick another set or one animal.
My report: the blue whale
Balaenoptera musculus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 110 ft (34 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 165 tons (150 tonnes) |
| Top speed | 20 mph (32 km/h) |
| How long it lives | 80 to 90 years |
Read about it
The blue whale is the biggest animal ever. It is bigger than any dinosaur. It eats tiny shrimp-like animals called krill.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/blue-whale, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the great white shark
Carcharodon carcharias · Grades 1–2
| Length | 20 ft (6.1 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 2 tons (1.8 tonnes) |
| Top speed | 35 mph (56 km/h) |
| How long it lives | 30 to 70 years |
Read about it
The great white is a big shark. It has lots of teeth, and new ones grow when old ones fall out. Sharks are fish.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/white-shark, checked 2026-10-30
- NOAA Science On a Sphere, sos.noaa.gov/catalog/datasets/marine-migration-great-white-shark-3d, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the emperor penguin
Aptenodytes forsteri · Grades 1–2
| Length | not checked yet: look it up! |
|---|---|
| Height | 3.7 ft (1.1 m) |
| Weight | 88 lb (40 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
Emperor penguins live in Antarctica, where it is very cold. They can't fly, but they swim very well. A dad keeps the egg warm on his feet.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, press release 25 Oct 2022, fws.gov/press-release/2022-10/emperor-penguin-gets-endangered-species-act-protections, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the polar bear
Ursus maritimus · Grades 1–2
| Length | not checked yet: look it up! |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | 4.9 ft (1.5 m) |
| Weight | 399 to 1,450 lb (181 to 658 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 25 years |
Read about it
Polar bears live where it is cold and icy. They are great swimmers. Under the white fur, their skin is black.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, nps.gov/subjects/bears/polar-bears.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the saltwater crocodile
Crocodylus porosus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 20 ft (6.1 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
The saltwater crocodile is the biggest reptile. It can swim in rivers and in the sea. Its eyes and nose stick up out of the water.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- US Fish and Wildlife Service rule, Federal Register 24 June 1996 (govinfo.gov), govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1996-06-24/html/96-15790.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the giant Pacific octopus
Enteroctopus dofleini · Grades 1–2
| Length | 5.9 to 7.9 ft (1.8 to 2.4 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 31 to 51 lb (14 to 23 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 3 to 5 years |
Read about it
This octopus has eight arms with suckers. It has no bones, so it can squeeze into tiny cracks. It can change color.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, fisheries.noaa.gov/science-blog/view-inside-kodiak-lab-aquarium-post-4, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 5.9 to 13 ft (1.8 to 4 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 300 to 1,400 lb (136 to 635 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 40 to 60 years |
Read about it
Dolphins are smart mammals that live in the sea. They breathe air through a hole on top of their head. They live in groups called pods and love to leap!
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/common-bottlenose-dolphin, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the orca
Orcinus orca · Grades 1–2
| Length | 23 to 26 ft (7 to 7.9 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 4 to 8 tons (3.6 to 7.3 tonnes) |
| Top speed | 35 mph (56 km/h) |
| How long it lives | 30 to 50 years |
Read about it
Orcas are black and white. They are the biggest dolphins. They live in family groups called pods.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, Kenai Fjords National Park, home.nps.gov/kefj/learn/nature/orca.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fws.gov/species/orca-orcinus-orca, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae · Grades 1–2
| Length | 46 to 49 ft (14 to 15 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 25 to 35 tons (23 to 32 tonnes) |
| Top speed | 16 mph (26 km/h) |
| How long it lives | 80 to 90 years |
Read about it
Humpback whales sing songs under the sea. They leap out of the water and splash back down. A baby whale is called a calf.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, Kenai Fjords National Park, nps.gov/kefj/learn/nature/humpback-whale.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, nps.gov/places/humpback-whale.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/humpback-whale, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the sea otter
Enhydra lutris · Grades 1–2
| Length | 3.9 to 4.9 ft (1.2 to 1.5 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 79 lb (36 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 23 years |
Read about it
Sea otters float on their backs in the sea. They use a rock to crack open shellfish. They hold hands when they sleep!
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, Kenai Fjords National Park, nps.gov/kefj/learn/nature/sea-otter.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, nps.gov/places/sea-otter.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the walrus
Odobenus rosmarus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 9.8 to 11 ft (3 to 3.5 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 1.9 tons (1.7 tonnes) |
| Top speed | 22 mph (35 km/h) |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
Walruses have two long tusks and bristly whiskers. They have thick fat to stay warm. They rest in big groups on the ice.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Walrus Species Status Assessment (PDF), iris.fws.gov/APPS/ServCat/DownloadFile/132114, checked 2026-10-30
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fws.gov/media/pacific-walrus-bull-0, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, nps.gov/bela/learn/kidsyouth/alaskan-animal-adaptations.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the narwhal
Monodon monoceros · Grades 1–2
| Length | 13 to 18 ft (4 to 5.5 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 1,760 lb to 1.8 tons (800 kg to 1.6 tonnes) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 25 to 50 years |
Read about it
Narwhals are whales that live in icy Arctic seas. Most males have a long, twisty tusk. People sometimes call them unicorns of the sea.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/narwhal, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the west Indian manatee
Trichechus manatus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 8.9 to 9.8 ft (2.7 to 3 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 992 lb (450 kg) |
| Top speed | 15 mph (24 km/h) |
| How long it lives | 60 years |
Read about it
Manatees are gentle, slow swimmers. They munch sea grass and other plants. Their tail is flat like a paddle.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fws.gov/species/manatee-trichechus-manatus, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Big Cypress National Preserve, nps.gov/bicy/learn/nature/mammals.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the green sea turtle
Chelonia mydas · Grades 1–2
| Length | 36 in to 3.9 ft (91 cm to 1.2 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 300 to 351 lb (136 to 159 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 70 years |
Read about it
The green sea turtle swims in warm seas with its flippers. It eats seagrass and seaweed. Mother turtles go to a sandy beach to lay their eggs.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/green-turtle, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the leatherback sea turtle
Dermochelys coriacea · Grades 1–2
| Length | 4.9 to 5.9 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 750 to 1,000 lb (340 to 454 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 50 years |
Read about it
The leatherback is the biggest sea turtle. Its shell is soft and leathery, with ridges down its back. It eats jellyfish.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/leatherback-turtle, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the whale shark
Rhincodon typus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 40 ft (12 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 40 tons (36 tonnes) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 60 to 100 years |
Read about it
The whale shark is the biggest fish in the sea. It is a shark, not a whale. It swims along with its mouth open to catch tiny food.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA National Ocean Service, oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/bigfish.html, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the sailfish
Istiophorus platypterus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 12 ft (3.6 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 128 lb (58 kg) |
| Top speed | 68 mph (109 km/h) |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
The sailfish is a fish with a big sail on its back. It folds the sail down flat to swim fast. Its bill is long and pointed.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean (Istiophorus platypterus), biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/2244, checked 2026-10-30
- NOAA Fishery Bulletin 78(3), 1980 (Beardsley and others, Atlantic sailfish), spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-content/fish-bull/beardsley.pdf, checked 2026-10-30
- NOAA National Ocean Service, Ocean Facts feed ('What is the fastest fish in the ocean?'), oceanservice.noaa.gov/rss/oceanfacts.xml, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the atlantic bluefin tuna
Thunnus thynnus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 13 ft (4 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 1 tons (910 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 20 years |
Read about it
The bluefin tuna is a big, fast fish. Its smooth body is shaped for speed. It swims far across the ocean.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/western-atlantic-bluefin-tuna, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris · Grades 1–2
| Length | 3.5 in (9 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
Clownfish are small orange fish with white stripes. They live in a sea anemone, which looks like a soft flower. The anemone stings other fish, but not the clownfish.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- US Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species: clown anemonefish profile, nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?SpeciesID=3243, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the giant manta ray
Mobula birostris · Grades 1–2
| Length | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 2.6 tons (2.4 tonnes) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 45 years |
Read about it
Giant manta rays glide through the sea like underwater birds. Their wide fins flap like wings. They scoop up tiny food with a wide-open mouth.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/giant-manta-ray, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the sockeye salmon
Oncorhynchus nerka · Grades 1–2
| Length | 18 to 30 in (46 to 76 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 4 to 15 lb (1.8 to 6.8 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 5 years |
Read about it
Sockeye salmon hatch in a stream and swim out to the sea. Later they swim all the way back home. When they come home, their bodies turn bright red!
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/sockeye-salmon, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the ocean sunfish
Mola mola · Grades 1–2
| Length | 7.9 ft (2.4 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 2.5 tons (2.3 tonnes) |
| Top speed | 14 mph (22 km/h) |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
The ocean sunfish is a big, round fish that looks like a giant head with fins. It has no real tail. It lies on its side at the top of the sea to soak up the sun.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries, Olympic Coast, sanctuaries.noaa.gov/pgallery/pgolympic/living/living_10.html, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Acadia National Park, nps.gov/articles/ocean-sunfish-gentle-giants-now-found-in-acadia-s-waters.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fws.gov/story/solar-powered-fish-jellies-their-bellies-molas, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the lined seahorse
Hippocampus erectus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 2.2 to 7.3 in (5.5 to 19 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 4 years |
Read about it
A seahorse is a small fish with a head like a horse. It swims standing up. The dad has a pouch on his belly where the eggs grow.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, Fishery Bulletin (PDF), spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/01baumfi.pdf, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the moon jellyfish
Aurelia aurita · Grades 1–2
| Length | 12 in (30 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
The moon jellyfish is a soft, clear bell that floats in the sea. It pulses to move along. It has four pale rings in the middle, like little moons.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, Fort Matanzas National Monument, nps.gov/foma/learn/nature/jellyfish.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the american lobster
Homarus americanus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 35 in (90 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 44 lb (20 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 100 years |
Read about it
The American lobster lives on the bottom of the cold sea. It has a hard shell and two big claws. One claw crushes and one cuts.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- US Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species fact sheet, American lobster, nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?SpeciesID=1087, checked 2026-10-30
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/american-lobster, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 40 to 52 ft (12 to 16 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 15 to 45 tons (14 to 41 tonnes) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 60 years |
Read about it
The sperm whale has a huge, box-shaped head. It is the biggest whale with teeth. It dives deep down into the dark sea to find squid.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/sperm-whale, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the beluga whale
Delphinapterus leucas · Grades 1–2
| Length | 16 ft (4.9 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 1.6 tons (1.4 tonnes) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 90 years |
Read about it
Belugas are white whales of the cold Arctic. They chirp, whistle and click to talk to each other. Their round forehead can change shape.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/beluga-whale, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the california sea lion
Zalophus californianus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 5.9 to 7.5 ft (1.8 to 2.3 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 240 to 701 lb (109 to 318 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 20 to 30 years |
Read about it
California sea lions bark loudly and often. They have big flippers and smooth, shiny fur. They swim fast and love to play.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/california-sea-lion, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the harbor seal
Phoca vitulina · Grades 1–2
| Length | 4.9 to 5.9 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 181 to 284 lb (82 to 129 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 25 to 30 years |
Read about it
Harbor seals rest on rocks and beaches near the sea. They have round heads and spotted fur. Their whiskers can feel the water move.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/harbor-seal, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the loggerhead sea turtle
Caretta caretta · Grades 1–2
| Length | 30 in to 3.5 ft (76 cm to 1.1 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 201 to 351 lb (91 to 159 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 70 years |
Read about it
The loggerhead sea turtle has a big head. Its strong jaws crack open crabs and clams. Mother turtles lay their eggs in the sand at night.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/loggerhead-turtle, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the blue crab
Callinectes sapidus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 9.1 in (23 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 5.3 oz (150 g) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 3 to 4 years |
Read about it
The blue crab has a hard shell and two strong claws. Its back legs are flat like paddles, so it can swim. It runs sideways on the others.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/blue-crab, checked 2026-10-30