Lesson Title: Arctic Centers for Kindergarten

 

Adapted From: Nuttin’ But Kids: http://nuttinbutkids.com/index.html

“Binky” puppet taken from: http://www.teelfamily.com/activities/polarbear/binky.html

 

Grade: Lower Elementary

 

Duration: 1 class period

 

TEKS: K.5(a,c), K.6(a,b,c,d,e), K.7 (c, d), K.8, K.9(c)                    

 

Lesson Overview:  In this lesson students will gain a better understanding of the Arctic, its biology as well as the inhabitants.  Students will perform activities necessary to develop motor skills, listening and cognitive skills.

 

Materials:

Polar Bear Activity: 

Eskimo Activity:

·        construction paper

Ice Fishing:

Ice Cave:

Hand Puppet:

 

Background:

Songs, Finger plays, and Group time Information

Seals provide Eskimos with much of their food and skins for their clothing. Walrus meat and skin is very valuable to the Eskimos. Their tusks provide the ivory for crafts of scrimshaw and carving.

Eskimos are a warm and gentle people. Common names for Eskimo children are Ootah, Nathlook, Inatuk, and Akoik. Eskimos wear fur jackets called parkas.

Polar bears provide food for the family. Their fur is used to make the warm clothing needed in the winter. Mukluks help keep their feet warm in the cold winters.

Kayak is a small one-man boat made of driftwood and sealskin. It is extremely light and waterproof. Igloos are temporary homes made of blocks of snow. The Eskimo men build igloos when they are on long hunting trips. Sleds pulled by huskies are used to travel great distances across the snow.
Polar Bears have a standing height: of 8-11 ft.  Males weight: 880-990 lb and females about 100 lb less. The polar bear is the largest bear in North America. Conservation projects and regulated hunting exit in all countries where polar bears are found. Polar bears eat vegetation but they mainly feed on seals. They have a keen sense of smell and can sniff out a seal den 20 miles away! Polar Bears are strong swimmers. They cruise through the water at speeds of up to six miles per hour, using their front legs to propel them, with their back legs trailing behind. They close their nose when diving in the water but leave their eyes open. They can remain submerged for two minutes, when they resurface they immediately shake the water off their coat so that it doesn't freeze.  On smooth slippery slopes, the polar bear frequently slides down on his belly. When walking on the ice, he may appear bow-legged - that helps him maintain his balance without slipping. Mating season is March -June. In Oct-Nov., they carve out big dens in the snow, which are used for giving birth. They usually have two cubs that stay with their mother into the third spring of their lives.

 

Activity:

  1. Have students act out and sing along with the following song.

 

  1. Have the students say the following poem:

 

  1. Have students respond when you ask them questions in the following questions:
  2. Practice singing and count along with the Eskimos with the following song:
  3. Act out the igloo song:

 

6. Have students create the following Arctic animals and structures:

 

 

Evaluation: