Arctic Explorers

As snow blanketed the campus this term, Kindergarten students were learning all about the Arctic and what makes its ecosystem unique. They began the winter term learning about snow, ice, snow crystals, and cold weather climates in Science. This provided a good launching point to focus on the Arctic and the animals that call this region home. Kindergarteners looked at adaptations, such as blubber and fur, that allow animals to survive in this frigid climate. Lastly, the classes talked about how the Arctic habitat is changing. Through stories, experiments, discussions, and design challenges, students developed a better understanding of what makes the Arctic environment unique.

Kindergarteners learned about climate change and the greenhouse effect, exploring what the changing environment might mean for the Arctic environment. First, they brainstormed different ways to melt ice. Then, they ran an experiment to see how quickly they could get ice to melt by comparing the efficacy of varying warming methods, such as a warm lamp, salt, and hot water. Then, they ran the opposite experiment and tried to see what they could do to slow down or stop the ice from melting. Their arctic exploration carried over into other subjects, with students creating arctic-themed headbands and writing and illustrating arctic-themed story problems in math.

Students were already familiar with Arctic animals like seals, penguins, and polar bears but were fascinated to discover how polar bears survive in the Arctic climate. They learned that polar bear fur is hollow to trap heat against their bodies, and while it appears to be white, it is clear and reflects the snow. Under their coat, polar bear skin is black to absorb heat and help the bears stay warm. Their enormous paws are designed to do more than scoop seals out of the water. They also spread out the bears' weight so that they can walk across the thin sea ice. 

Design Teacher Deborah Morrone-Bianco met with Kindergarten students and taught them about polar bear dens. While adult male polar bears hunt on the ice, female polar bears build dens on land or sea ice with long tunnels to protect cubs from the cold Arctic wind. The dens have multiple chambers with an air hole at the top. Deborah challenged students to design and build a prototype of a polar bear den for a mother bear and her cubs. Each student sketched a plan for a polar bear den, and then they worked in groups to build a replica using model magic, cotton balls, toothpicks, plastic cups, card stock, and foam core. While there was room for creativity, each model was required to have a water source, an entrance, a central chamber, a visible air hole, and some tunnels. The project provided a lot of scope for imagination as students incorporated piles of colorful fish for the polar bears to eat and even some seals and sharks.

After the March break, students will transition from what global warming could mean for the polar bears into a study of the oceans and its different layers, and then the rainforests. "This is where science starts, and it's very hands-on and a lot of fun," says Kindergarten teacher Taylor MacPherson.