Whale Shark Swimming Left With a Checkered Back Pattern

A large whale shark swims toward the left with its wide, flat mouth near the front of the head. Round spots of different sizes are scattered across the head, the sides, the pectoral fin and the tall tail fin. Along the back, vertical and horizontal lines cross to form a grid of boxes, with a few dots inside many of the squares. You can also see gill slits behind the head, a pointed dorsal fin on top, a smaller second fin near the tail and a small eye dot. The lines are bold and clean, so the page works well for crayons or markers. Try coloring the grid boxes in alternating shades of blue and gray, then leave the spots light so the pattern stands out. It is also a nice starting point for talking about how every whale shark has its own spot pattern. Print as many copies as you need for a class or a quiet afternoon at home.