Mammal Blubber

In Science we are learning about the different animal groups. On this day we talked about how polar bears are mammals and what makes them a mammal. We were curious as to how they stayed warm in the freezing water and temperatures. It turns out that polar bears have layers of fat, or "blubber" under their fur.

So we got to see what it would feel like in the Artic without blubber, and with blubber. We stuck our hand in the ice water...AKA the Artic. I asked them how it felt. "Freezing!!!!" "So cold!!" "Ahhh!" were some of the many responses.

Then it was our turn to be the polar bear! We stuck our hand in the "blubber glove," and then into the ice cold water. "Ahh much better!" "Ooh this is warm!" I like this!" the kids said. Our final decision...well besides one or two students...was that we would prefer to be a polar bear and to stay warm if we were in the Artic.