Activity
American Museum of Natural History

Rubber Blubber Gloves

For Students 6th - 12th
Using gloves, shortening, tape, and a lot of ice, participants experience the feeling of having blubber. The experiment's eight steps follow an informative page about blubber and animals that have it.
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Blubber Gloves: It’s All About Insulation

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Instill the concept of adaptation with the help of Blubber Gloves—ziplock bags, shortening, and duct tape. Scholars discuss how animals and plants keep warm in polar regions, record their predictions, and try on their Blubber Gloves to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Big on Blubber: How do Whales Stay Warm?

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners explore biology by conducting a science experiment in class. In this whale anatomy lesson, students identify the use of whale blubber for the animal to stay warm in cold waters while utilizing ice, vegetable oil, plastic bags...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Exploration

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore whales. In this animal adaptation and whale activity, students access prior knowledge about whales from previous lessons, then use background knowledge to predict the eating strategies of a baleen whale and a toothed...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Blue Planet: Frozen Seas

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners study the animals from the Arctic and how they have adapted.  For this ocean lesson students create a poster about their given animal and present it to the class. 
Lesson Plan
Texas Instruments

How Do Pinnipeds Stay Warm?

For Teachers 5th - 9th Standards
Learners experiment to determine ways different types of insulation materials work. In this animal adaptation lesson, they make hand coverings from plastic bags, shortening, feathers, and wool. They observe effects of these insulating...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animal Adaptations to the Cold

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Student's explore the concept of animal adaptations.  In this animal science lesson, students create insulated mittens and conduct an investigation with cold water.  Students discuss the results and make connections to animals...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Blubber Gloves

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine animal adaptations and how they meet their needs in a variety of environments. They discuss how they might adapt to their own environment before discussing how an animal could adapt. Next, they complete an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hello, Young Blubbers!

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore walrus and their habitat.  In this animal adaptation lesson students complete a hands on activity while in groups and use the Internet for research. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In the Company of Whales

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine whales and how they migrate.  In this whale lesson students research whales and their migration patterns.
Organizer
Curated OER

Adaptations of Penguins

For Students 7th - 8th
In this adaptations of penguins worksheet, students write short answers describing 14 ways penguins are adapted for their living environment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Baleen Whales vs. Toothed Whales

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders review mammal characteristics and study two types of whales. In this mammal study lesson, 2nd graders discuss mammals and define their five characteristics. Students complete a whale worksheet and define differences...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whale Adaptations

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners explore whales and how they have adapted to survive in the ocean.  In this whale adaptations instructional activity students complete several activities that allow them to investigate animal adaptations.
Lesson Plan
Aquarium of the Pacific

Turn a Cow into a Whale

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore animals that might have a common ancestor and resemble one another.  For this cow and whale lesson plan, 3rd graders recognize the similarities between the whale and the cow.  Students complete worksheets...
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

What's This? Frozen Tissue

For Students 6th - 12th
Take a peek into thousands of frozen samples. Learners try to identify an image of a piece of frozen tissue. After choosing the correct answer, scholars find out more information about the American Museum of Natural History's Frozen...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bears

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study polar bears and their characteristics.  In this bears lesson students divide into groups and design a model that shows the effectiveness of their layers that keep them warm. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Travel to the Polar Lands

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders receive an "Expedition Ticket" to travel through the Polar Regions- the Arctic and the Antarctic. They research polar bears and make drawings that are to scale.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quiz

For Teachers 4th - 7th
In this quiz worksheet, students, after researching and discussing different types of world-wide animals, determine the answers to ten key true and false questions.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: What Are You Blubbering About?

For Students 3rd - 8th
Baby Beluga may swim in the deep blue sea, but the song doesn't mention how cold it is out there. Find out in this short project how a bit of blubber can be a useful adaptation when the water is ice cold.