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Polar Bears and Arctic Sea Ice

Provided by: Polar Bears International |Published on: November 18, 2025

Videos

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Synopsis

In this brief video from Polar Bears International, students will understand how sea ice loss is affectting polar bear populations.
Students will learn that there are different types of sea ice and that sea ice in the Arctic may disappear before the end of the century.

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Subjects: Biology, Geography

Authors: Polar Bears International

Region: Asia, Europe, Polar Regions, United States

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

This video uses many visual aids and maps to illustrate the concepts.
Students will benefit from the video's call to action, connecting human activities to the sea ice loss.

Prerequisites

Students should understand that climate change and global warming cause ocean water to warm over time and that there is a reinforcing feedback loop that accelerates sea ice loss due to the change in albedo.

Differentiation & Implementation

To make geography connections, students can choose one of the nations with polar bear populations and research their geography, political makeup, and environmental actions.
Teachers can use this video as a hook for a broader lesson about sea ice loss. Teachers may want to use this lesson about the connection between Earth's systems and sea ice.
Teachers can give students a map of the Arctic and other northern continents and have students color and label the sea ice regions and countries with polar bear populations. Students can also add color-coding for the subpopulations and their trends.
Using this video, teachers can make connections to the Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 13, Climate Action, SDG 14, Life Below Water, and SDG 15, Life on Land.

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About the Partner Provider

Polar Bears International

Polar Bears International is the only conservation organization solely dedicated to protecting wild polar bears. Through science, advocacy, media, and education, we work to ensure the polar bear’s long-term survival. Together, we can make sure that polar bears roam the sea ice for generations to come and improve conditions for people, too.

Related Teaching Resources

All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.