Home > Teacher Zone > In Class > Lesson Plans > Polar Bears in the Classroom

Lesson Plan
Polar Bears in the Classroom

Comparison of Adaptations of the Polar Bear and the Grizzly Bear

Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus.

Academic Level

Canada-wide: grades 10 and 11
Quebec: secondary 4 and 5

Description

Students compare and contrast various physical characteristics of the polar bear and the grizzly bear in an attempt to understand how these characteristics help each animal survive in its habitat. They put forth a hypothesis to explain the differences observed in the shape of the teeth and skull, and to show how these traits represent an adaptation.

Specific Curriculum Links

The curriculum links are from the Common Framework of Science Learning Outcomes, K to 12, developed by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada.

To receive the relevant curriculum links for your province or territory's programme of study, write to education@mus-nature.ca.

View the curriculum links.

Grades 10 and 11

General Learning Outcome
Knowledge
Life Science
318. Evaluate relationships that affect the biodiversity and sustainability of life within the biosphere.

Grade 11

Specific Learning Outcome
Life Science
Evolution, change, and diversity
Knowledge
316-5. Use organisms found in a local or regional ecosystem to demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental principles of taxonomy.

Hide.

Duration

Preparation time: 60 minutes
Classroom time: 60 minutes

Materials

View the materials list.

Preparation

Consult the reference materials provided in the materials list (maps, information sheets, etc.).

Familiarize yourself with the ideas presented in the introduction to the student worksheet, as well as the terms in the mammal glossary for higher grades.

Familiarize yourself with the activities in the lesson plan, particularly the interactive activity in step 2 of Comparing the Adaptations of Polar Bears and Grizzlies.

Make sure that the computers in the classroom have no problem opening the interactive activity. You will need the following software:

If you wish, you can print out enough copies of the student worksheet (592 Kb PDF) for your students to use as answer sheets. They can also answer on other paper. The choice is yours.

Answers
There is an answer sheet for use by the teacher. You will be asked for an email address in order to access the answers.
Access the answer sheet.
Privacy policy of the museum regarding personal information.

Procedure

Send your students to the online student worksheet to start the lesson plan (http://nature.ca/education/cls/lp/lppbsw_e.cfm).

Ask your students to read the introduction in the student worksheet and consult the following reference materials:

Students can then begin the activities in the lesson plan.

1. Observation

1.1 Students are to:

2. Size of the Temporal Muscle

2.1 Students are to:

Students must then answer the following questions.

2.2 Which of the two bears in the activity has the most-developed temporal muscle?

2.3 What does the difference between the two bear species imply in terms of bite strength?

2.4 Why is the skull of one of the bears adapted for the development of bigger temporal muscles?

2.5 What habitat-related factors could to explain this difference?

3. Premolars, Molars and Canines

3.1 Students are to note the differences in the shape of teeth based on the following documents:

Next, students must answer the following questions.

3.2 What can explain these differences in the teeth?

3.3 What do these differences imply in terms of the animal's food?

3.4 What features of the habitat can explain these differences? What influence can they have on the diet of the two bear species?

4. Presentation

Students make extrapolations from the results of the skull analyses. And then, they prepare a short presentation to explain:

  • How differences in the skull and teeth show the polar bear's adaptation to the Arctic climate.

The following documents could be helpful to students:

5. Enrichment

Students ponder how climate change could threaten the survival of polar bears in the Arctic.

Clues

  • Encourage students to think about the polar bear's habitat. If the polar bear hunts mainly on ice floes, what will happen if the ice floes disappear?
  • Encourage students to think about the polar bear's physical characteristics. The animal's entire organism is developed to ensure its survival in a very cold environment. What would happen if this environment warmed up?

Additional Resources