Polar Bear Tracker

• This interactive resource allows students to track polar bears in Hudson Bay as they hunt on the winter ice and are sent back to land by melting summer ice. 
• Students will learn about polar bears' patterns, the ice they use to hunt in winter, the research projects happening to help them, and how to get involved in polar bear conservation. 

Positives

• This resource is interactive and engaging for students.
  
• The included slides are incredibly informative and feature teacher notes for presenting to students.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should have basic knowledge of polar bears and their habitat. 
  

Differentiation

• This resource would work equally well in a science class thinking about habitats and patterns of movement or in a social studies class working on geography and mapping. 
• For a long-term project, have small groups of students "adopt" a bear to track over several months. They can map the bear's movements, research additional polar bear information, calculate the distance traveled, and predict future movement based on ice.
• This resource can be used for a one-session lesson or over time to track the bears over a semester or year.
• Biology classes could use this interactive map to discuss how climate change is affecting plants and animals all over the world.  Consider having students read this article or watch this video to extend the lesson.