Every year from May to November, humpback whales migrate up and down the Queensland coastline as part of one of the most amazing wildlife journeys on Earth. It’s thought that more than 20,000 whales travel between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef, meaning this seasonal event provides a powerful, real-world STEM learning opportunity for primary classrooms in Australia.

Ocean Life Education provides curriculum-aligned marine science incursions, excursions and events, online programs, and classroom toolkits designed to assist teachers turn humpback whale migration into engaging inquiry-based learning.

Scroll to the bottom of this blog to DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE HUMPBACK WHALE TEACHING TOOLKIT

 Humpback Whale Classroom Activities for Primary Students

Humpback whales have to be one of the most effective real-world teaching examples in Australian primary education because the migration happens right here on our coastline and because the topic connects directly to key curriculum areas including science, geography, and sustainability.

Humpbacks support learning in:

• Biological sciences including life cycles and adaptations
• Geography including migration routes and marine environments
• Environmental science and sustainability
• Data collection and STEM inquiry learning

Humpback whales migrate up to 10,000 kilometres each year, moving between cool Antarctic feeding grounds and Queensland’s warm breeding waters, making them a remarkable and visible example of animal journeys and seasonal change.

Key Humpback Whale Facts for Students

• Humpback whales migrate between Antarctica and Queensland annually
• Migration distance can exceed 10,000 kilometres
• They travel along Australia’s east coast between May and November
• Calves are born in warm tropical waters for protection
• They use complex vocalisations known as whale song
• Populations are recovering after historic whaling pressures

Humpback Whale Teachers Toolkit

To support Quensland teachers, Ocean Life Education has created a FREE Humpback Whale Teachers Toolkit

designed for primary classrooms.

 STEM Activities: Whale Migration & Adaptations

Migration Mapping Task

Students map the humpback migration route along Australia’s east coast and identify key breeding and feeding regions.

Skills: geography and environmental systems

Migration Data Recording Sheet

Students record:

• Whale sightings
• Dates
• Behaviour observations
• Location tracking

Whale Migration Diary Writing

Students write from the perspective of a migrating humpback whale.

Prompts:

What do you pass/ see along the Queensland coastline?

What challenges do you face during migration?

Why is Queensland important for your journey?

Persuasive writing (marine protection themes)

Adaptation Investigation Stations

Students explore:

• Blubber for insulation
• Baleen feeding systems
• Tail fluke propulsion
• Breathing via blowholes
• Comparisons with other marine animals

Marine Animal Adaptations Worksheet

Complete the lists to compare a diverse range of ocean animals. Click here to download resource.

Humpback Whale Fact Quiz

Short classroom quiz covering:

• Migration distance
• Feeding behaviour
• Breeding grounds
• Whale communication

Curriculum Alignment (Australia)

This resource supports:

• Year 3–6 Science: Biological sciences (adaptations, ecosystems, life cycles)
• Year 4–6 Geography: environmental change and natural systems
• General capabilities: critical thinking, sustainability, data literacy

Real-World STEM Learning in 2026

Marine education is shifting toward hands-on, inquiry-based learning supported by real-world environmental data. Humpback whales provide a perfect example of this approach because students can connect classroom learning to seasonal migration events occurring off the Queensland coast each year.

Extend Learning with Ocean Life Education

Ocean Life Education provides:

• Hands on curriculum-aligned marine science programs
• Classroom-ready STEM resources
• Online whale and shark courses
• School incursions, excursions and interactive displays

Book a Primary Ocean Science Incursion for Your School

Ocean Life Education provides engaging marine education incursions for Queensland schools, giving students unforgettable hands-on experiences with marine life.

Humpback Whale Teachers Toolkit

Thank you for reading: Humpback Facts for Queensland Schools (2026) | Free STEM Toolkit

Author: Hayley Gee, Marine Educator, Ocean Life Education

The post Humpback Whale Classroom Activities for Queensland Primary Schools (Free Toolkit + Lesson Ideas) appeared first on Ocean Life Education.

Each year between April and November, Australia’s eastern coastline comes alive with the spectacular acrobatic displays of humpback whales. After a summer of feeding on krill in Antarctic waters, these charismatic animals migrate north to sub-tropical waters where they mate and give birth. And we are lucky enough to be able to easily spot them on their travels from our majestic coastline! Read on for more fascinating information about the migration and for FREE Humpback Whale Resources.

Why not book a Humpback Whale themed incursion or check out our Humpback Whale Teaching Resource Pack.

During their annual migration of up to 10 000 kilometres, humpbacks can easily be seen off the coast of New South Wales and Queensland.

The exact timing of the migration period can vary from year to year depending on water temperature, sea ice, predation risk, prey abundance and the location of their feeding ground.

Humpback Migration Route and Timing

The majority of humpbacks in Australian waters migrate north from June to August, and back towards the Southern Ocean from September to November.

Migration Grouping

Groups of young males typically lead the migration while pregnant cows and cow-calf pairs bring up the rear. Adult breeding animals form the bulk of the migration in the middle stages.

Humpback Whale Facts

• Humpback whale length: 12- 16 metres
• Humpback whale weight: up to 50 tonnes or 6 elephants!
• Average birth weight of humpback: 2 tonnes
• Birth length: 4-5 metres
• Humpback whale gestation period: 11 months
• Favoured birth temperature: 22-25 degrees
• Origin of Humpback Whale name: the name comes from their very long pectoral fins and knobby looking head which looks a bit like a hump!
• Easily tracked as identifiable by the unique markings on their tail fluke – so we can learn lots about them!
• Humpback whale travel speed: up to 8 km an hour
• Migration travel speed: humpback average only 1.6km an hour during the migration as they rest and socialise along the way
• Humpbacks sing songs that may be heard hundreds of kilometres away
• East Coast Australia’s most famous humpback whale is white and has an Aboriginal name, ‘Migaloo’ which means white fella.

The humpback whale is not the largest whale found in Australian waters but we reckon its’ the most iconic.

Click here for FREE Humpback Whale Resources

Click here for our Humpback Whale Online Course

Click here for our Humpback Whale Teaching Resource Pack

The post Annual Humpback Whale Migration – East Coast Australia appeared first on Ocean Life Education.