Using the ESERO “Animals in the Cold” Activity in the Classroom
Title: “How Do Animals Survive in the Cold?”
Introduction: Discuss Arctic and Antarctic regions, showing pictures or videos.
Introduce animal adaptations for cold environments (e.g., polar bears, penguins).
Explain the blubber insulation experiment.
Hands-On Experiment:
1. Groups fill a plastic bag with shortening (blubber) and place another bag inside.
2. Students place their hand inside the double bag into ice water and observe insulation.
3. Record water and inside bag temperatures using thermometers.
Discussion and Analysis
Discuss observations: how blubber affects temperature and its importance for survival. Explain insulation and heat retention.
Summarise the lesson and the importance of adaptations.
Students reflect by writing or drawing their favourite cold-weather animal and its adaptations.
This hands-on activity enhances understanding of animal adaptations through experiential learning. To integrate it into a STEM-focused School Self Evaluation (SSE):
This approach fosters critical thinking, tech skills, and a holistic understanding of scientific concepts, preparing students for future STEM pursuits.