This resource includes a fun print-and-color image of a polar bear holding a blank sign, along with background information about polar bears.
Students will learn about the relationship between polar bears and sea ice, have fun coloring in their bear, come up with a statement for their sign, and have a chance to share it on International Polar Bear Day.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This resource is a fun and engaging way to get young students talking about polar bears and sea ice.
Flat Nanuk can be differentiated in many ways in order for students to get involved.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should be able to discuss and verbalize their learning with family in order for this activity to have the biggest impact.
Differentiation
Cross-curricular connections can be made in language arts classes by incorporating more reading or writing about polar bears and animal habitats, or in social studies classes that map out where the polar bears live and all of the places that other students live who share their pictures of Flat Nanuk.
Print Flat Nanuk in a large format or project it onto a large wall or poster to have the entire class decorate him together.
Have students speak with their family and friends about polar bears and sea ice when they bring Flat Nanuk home and then bring back their pictures of Flat Nanuk with the people he met.
Science classes could start by showing this video about habitats that compares polar bears to brown bears and panda bears.
Art classes could also show this mural related to polar bears or this piece about melting ice and come up with their own artistic image using colored pencils, crayons, or paint.
Scientist Notes
The resources describes Flat Nanuk, a polar bear who loves to travel and meet kids. Students learn about how they adapt in the arctic ecosystem and campaigns to create awareness to protect polar bears from climate change impacts. There are no misconceptions in this resource and it is recommended for the classroom.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
K-ESS3-3 Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.
LS3: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
3-LS3-2 Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
3-LS4-3 Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Reading: Informational Text (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.10 With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1.
National Core Arts Standards
Visual Arts: Standard 3 - Refine and complete artistic work.
VA:Cr3.1.3a Elaborate visual information by adding details in an artwork to enhance emerging meaning.
