Activity: Animals in the cold (Climate)
This lesson will teach the children about different types of weather and they will learn the characteristics of animals living in cold environments.
Begin by asking the children what kinds of weather they know. Talk about sunny weather, rain, and snow. Explain that some kinds of weather occur more often in some places in the world. Some places get lots of rain, while other places are very dry. Some places are very hot and others very cold. At the North and South Pole, for example, it is often extremely cold.
Story: The Emporer’s Egg by Martin Waddell. Discuss the story with focus on the climate and how did the Daddy Penguin keep the egg warm for the Winter?
Show them the photographs of the polar bear and the penguin. How do the penguin and the polar bear keep themselves warm? Discuss the ideas put forward by the children. Explain that the animals have a thick layer of fat under their skin to keep themselves warm. However, the areas where the polar bears and the penguins live are so cold that this thick layer of fat is not enough. That’s why the polar bear also has a thick coat of fur and the penguin has a thick layer of feathers.
Art Activity- Make a 3d Penguin
Extension- To further enhance the STEM experience for SSE invite a guest speaker from Dublin zoo or MET Eireann who are experts in Climates/ animals who live in cold climate to do a video call or come and talk to the children. Have the children prepare their own questions for the guest speaker.