Dolphins KS1 Differentiated Comprehension

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1. Dolphins
What do dolphins look like?
A dolphin is a sea animal. They have two
fins on the side and one on the back to help
them to swim fast. They can be a mix of
black, white and grey. Dolphins have fat
under the skin to keep them warm in the
cold seas. They breathe out of a nostril on
the top of their head called a blowhole.
Where do dolphins live?
Dolphins live in seas and rivers. They live
together in groups called ‘pods’.
What do dolphins eat?
Dolphins eat fish. They wait for the fish to
jump out of the sea into their mouth.
What do dolphins do?
Dolphins can jump out of the water and
flip over to land on their back, belly or side.
This is called ‘breach’. They breach to let
other dolphins know about food nearby.
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2. Dolphins
Questions
1. Why do dolphins have two fins on the side and one on the back? Tick one.
to help them to jump out the water
so they can swim on their back
to help them to swim fast
2. Why do dolphins have fat under the skin? Tick one.
to keep them warm
to make them bigger
to help them swim down
3. What is the name of the nostril on the top of their head? Tick one.
horn hole
blowhole
spray hole
4. What do dolphins eat? Tick one.
plants
toast
fish
5. What is it called when dolphins jump out of the water and flip over to
land on their back, belly or side? Tick one.
breach
splash
spin
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3. Dolphins
Answers
1. Why do dolphins have two fins on the side and one on the back? Tick one.
to help them to jump out the water
so they can swim on their back
to help them to swim fast
2. Why do dolphins have fat under the skin? Tick one.
to keep them warm
to make them bigger
to help them swim down
3. What is the name of the nostril on the top of their head? Tick one.
horn hole
blowhole
spray hole
4. What do dolphins eat? Tick one.
plants
toast
fish
5. What is it called when dolphins jump out of the water and flip over to
land on their back, belly or side? Tick one.
breach
splash
spin
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4. Dolphins
What do dolphins look like?
A dolphin is a sea animal but they are
mammals, not fish. They have two fins on
their sides and a triangle shaped fin on
their back that helps them to swim fast.
They also have smooth, rubbery skin which
can be a mix of black, white and grey in
colour. A bottlenose dolphin is large with a
dark grey back and a light grey belly with
a short beak that can look like they are
smiling. Dolphins have fat under the skin
to keep them warm in the harsh, cold seas.
They breathe through a single nostril on
the top of their head called a blowhole.
Where do dolphins live?
Dolphins live in the world’s seas and in
rivers too. They live together in groups
called ‘pods’. Some dolphin pods like to live
where the land meets the sea, some live out
at sea and some live in rivers or lakes.
What do dolphins do?
Dolphins can jump out of the water as
high as 4.9 metres, flipping over to land on
their backs, bellies or sides. This is called
‘breach’. They breach to let other dolphins
know about food nearby.
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5. Dolphins
What do dolphins eat?
Bottlenose dolphins hunt their prey by
swimming around in big circles near fish,
beating their tails down hard to stir up
the seafloor making the water cloudy. The
dolphins swim around, making the circle
smaller and smaller, trapping the fish like a
net. As the fish jump out, the other dolphins
catch them in their mouth.
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6. Dolphins
Questions
1. What type of animal is a dolphin? Tick one.
fish
mammal
reptile
2. Find and copy the name of the dolphin that has a short beak.

3. Dolphins live together in groups. What is the name of a dolphin group?
Tick one.
pack
swarm
pod
4. Number the statements from 1-3 to show the order in which a dolphin
hunts their prey.
They beat their tail down hard to stir up the seafloor
making the water cloudy.
The fish jump out of the water and the dolphins catch
the fish in their mouth.
Bottlenose dolphins swim around in big circles near
fish.
5. Fill in the missing word.
They breach to let other know about food nearby.
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7. Dolphins
Answers
1. What type of animal is a dolphin? Tick one.
fish
mammal
reptile
2. Find and copy the name of the dolphin that has a short beak.
bottlenose dolphin
3. Dolphins live together in groups. What is the name of a dolphin group?
Tick one.
pack
swarm
pod
4. Number the statements from 1-3 to show the order in which a dolphin
hunts their prey.
They beat their tail down hard to stir up the seafloor
2
making the water cloudy.
The fish jump out of the water and the dolphins catch
3
the fish in their mouth.
Bottlenose dolphins swim around in big circles near
1
fish.
5. Fill in the missing word.
They breach to let other dolphins know about food nearby.
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8. Dolphins
What do dolphins look like?
A dolphin is a marine animal. They
have smooth, rubbery skin and can be a
mixture of black, white and grey in colour.
A bottlenose dolphin is large with a dark
grey back and paler belly. They have short,
stubby beaks that look like they’re smiling.
They have two fins on their sides and a
triangle shaped fin on their back that helps
them to swim fast. They have fat under
the skin called blubber which keeps them
warm in the harsh cold of the freezing seas.
Dolphins are mammals, not fish, so they
are warm-blooded. They are able to keep
their body at the same temperature at all
times. As mammals, they have lungs and
breathe through a single nostril called a
blowhole which is on the top of their head.
What do dolphins eat?
Bottlenose dolphins hunt their prey by
swimming around in big circles near fish,
beating their tails down hard to stir up
the seafloor making the water cloudy. The
dolphin swims around, making the circle
smaller and smaller, trapping the fish like a
net. As the fish jump out, the other dolphins
catch them in their mouth.
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9. Dolphins
Where do dolphins live?
Dolphins live in the world’s seas, oceans
and in rivers too. They like to be with
other dolphins and live together in groups
called ‘pods’. Some dolphin pods like to live
in coastal areas, others choose to live in
shallow waters away from the coast further
out at sea.
The Amazon river dolphin prefers to live in
freshwater rivers and lakes. Other dolphins,
such as the bottlenose dolphin may visit
lakes and can be seen close to cities.
What do dolphins do?
Dolphins can jump out of the water as
high as 4.9 metres, flipping over to land on
their backs, bellies or sides. This is called
‘breach’. They breach to let other dolphins
know about food nearby. Dolphins are very
playful and both young and old dolphins
like to chase each other, carry objects, blow
air out their blowhole to spray water, toss
seaweed and practise catching food.
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10. Dolphins
Questions
1. What is the texture of a dolphin’s skin? Tick one.
soft, wet skin
rough, dry skin
smooth, rubbery skin
2. What features does a bottlenose dolphin have to help them to swim fast?

3. Fill in the missing word.
Dolphins are , not fish, so they are warm-blooded.
4. Find and copy the name of the dolphin that has a short beak.

5. Draw three lines and complete each sentence. One has been done for you.
lakes and can be seen
Dolphins live in the
close to cities.
They like to be with other world’s seas, oceans and
dolphins and live in rivers too.
The Amazon river dolphin freshwater rivers and
prefers to live in lakes.
Other dolphins, such as
together in groups called
the bottlenose dolphin
‘pods’.
may visit
6. Why do you think dolphins have been recorded by scientists as very
playful? Use the text to support your answer.

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11. Dolphins
Answers
1. What is the texture of a dolphin’s skin? Tick one.
soft, wet skin
rough, dry skin
smooth, rubbery skin
2. What features does a bottlenose dolphin have to help them to swim fast?
A bottlenose dolphin has two fins on their side and a triangular shaped
fin on their back.
3. Fill in the missing word.
Dolphins are mammals, not fish, so they are warm-blooded.
4. Find and copy the name of the dolphin that has a short beak.
pods
5. Draw three lines and complete each sentence. One has been done for you.
lakes and can be seen
Dolphins live in the
close to cities.
They like to be with other world’s seas, oceans and
dolphins and live in rivers too.
The Amazon river dolphin freshwater rivers and
prefers to live in lakes.
Other dolphins, such as
together in groups called
the bottlenose dolphin
‘pods’.
may visit
6. Why do you think dolphins have been recorded by scientists
as very playful? Use the text to support your answer.
Pupils’ own responses, such as: I thnk scientists say dolphins are playful
because they like to live together in groups called pods and because
there are lots of dolphins together, they can play together.
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