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Inquiry based activity
How do animals keep themselves warm?
Brainstorm all the different types of weather-sunny, rain, cloudy, windy and snow.
Explain that some places get lots of rain and other are very dry. Some places are very hot and some places are very cold. At the North and South Pole it is very cold. Can they think of any movies set these regions? What animals live in these areas?
Trigger: Read the story The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
Question: Ask the children how do animals keep themselves warm?
Then show them a picture of a Polar bear and a penguin. Ask them what animals they are and where they live/ hot or cold climate?
List all the ideas children give on how animals keep themselves warm.
Explain that Polar bears and penguins have a really thick layer of fat under their skin to keep themselves warm. They live in such a cold climate that they need more than the layer of fat under their skin.
Question: What do we do to keep ourselves warm when going outside? We put on an extra jumper or coat….
The Penguins and bears don’t have a coats but they have extra thick feathers and fur that act as a coat for them. Penguins and Bears also have a thick layer of grease on tip of their fur and feathers to protect them from the cold water.
Children will rub Vaseline on their hands and then put them in water.
What happens? They will see the water run off their hands. The layer of grease repels the water.
Conclusion: The polar bear and penguins have 3 ways of staying warm in cold climate- extra layer of fat, extra thick fur/feathers and a layer of grease. They adapt to the climate they are living in.