With a Polar Bear Lesson Plan
Take The Plunge...
The approaching new year brings a refreshing, renewing, and rejuvenating start to the homeschool year. A time to examine where learning stands, new directions to take, and the strides made thus far. With it deep in the midst of winter though, it isn't nearly time to strip away the coats and slip into flip flops. It's cold, and in some areas freezing, so just how do we reimagine and inspire learning while most of us are still huddled inside, right where we left off?
Polar Bear Plunge, That Is!
That was where my thoughts were at anyway. I wanted to dive in fresh, clearing away any past learning road blocks, and revitalize their drive, but I needed an inspiration first myself.
After some real contemplation, what came plunging to my mind, was a creature so associated with the cold that I knew it could be the source for a really chill lesson plan, and start to our new year-
The Polar Bear.
With some extra creativity and out of the box thinking, I put together an engaging, fun, and immersive lesson plan- quite literally! It was a lesson that kicked off the new year with great energy, and we look back on it with warm memories.
If you've been considering a unit study about polar bears, beginning the new year with a topic like them, certainly has our vote.
Here's a few reasons why...
The Intrigue
Such massive creatures, living in such extreme conditions, already makes the topic raise interests. Add their remarkable adaptations and breath-taking beauty, and my kids were captivated!
The Fun
Learning within the concepts of the theme is something I have found to be instrumental in keeping my kids' attention and participation. Playing learning games within the polar bear lesson proved to grow their understanding and knowledge of polar bears while still advancing their core studies.
In the "Fishing Hole" spelling game, my kids were excited to become the bear by placing on the paws, and clawing out misspelled words.
See the details on how to create this activity here.
While investigating the amazing properties of a polar bear's hair, be sure to include the concept of hair in a learning activity. By preparing a quick polar bear cutout, yarn bits, and a paired worksheet, we were quickly growing our graphing skills in a whole new way.
The Adventure
Since getting to the arctic wasn't quite in the cards, I did want to get as close as possible to experiencing these wonderful creatures, and give my kids a fun and super cool learning adventure they wouldn't soon forget. Including a trip to the zoo brought us more insight into a polar bear's behaviors and impressive size. Observing them up close was a real treasure! The adventure didn't end there though. With it being the beginning of the new year, I packed us up some warm gear, suited them up in swimsuits, and took to the frigid ocean, to present them with the challenge of our very own polar plunge! In true polar bear style, my young cubs were plunging out the old year in the cold water which proved to awaken their senses, and give them a thrill they'll remember for years to come.
Check out our very own polar plunge in action!
Don't Get Trapped On The Ice!
Get The Complete Polar Bear Lesson Plan Here.
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