• Unit Topic: Polar Animals
  • Grade Level - 3
  • Unit Objectives:

Students will demonstrate their ability to:

  1. Recall and use vocabulary introduced in the unit
  2. Identify and locate polar regions on globe
  3. Research using the Internet
  4. Gather and recall characteristics of polar regions, beluga whales, penguins, and polar bears
  5. Discuss and understand endangered species
  6. Students will learn to work cooperatively in groups

* Prior to Day 1: Have students take letter home to ask parents or other family members if they have anymaterials or artifacts about Polar Region (1/15/2003)


  • Day 1:
  • Objectives:
  1. Students will use the Internet to research Polar Regions and Polar animals.
  2. Students will identify and explain the differences between the North and South Pole.
  3. Students will locate Polar Regions on a globe.
  4. Students will identify animals located in the North and South Pole.
  5. Students will identify and recall “Polar” vocabulary words.
  • Materials:
  1. Reserve Computer Lab
  2. Globe
  3. Arctic/Antarctic Comparison Chart retrieved from
  4. Polar Word Search created on
  • Plan:
  1. Place students in groups of 3-4. Have each group explore a separate web site pertaining to Polar regions:
  2. After reviewing the web sites ask the students to demonstrate where the North and South Pole are on the globe. Ask students to identify which pole is referred to as the Arctic and which is referred to as Antarctica and why
  3. Use the Arctic/Antarctica comparison chart and ask students to name characteristics of the two, which they found while conducting their research (including Polar Animals)
  • Have students identify which Polar Animals live in the Arctic and which animals live in Antarctica
  1. Have students complete “Polar” Word Search
  2. If time allows students may participate in the following polar activities online:

Day 2

  • Objectives:
  1. Identify the Beluga Whale as a Polar animal
  2. Be able to describe and identify the characteristics of a Beluga Whale
  3. Identify 10 facts (may vary by grade level) about Beluga Whales
  4. Identify where Beluga Whales are inhabitants
  5. Make comparisons about the whales height and weight to both people and other familiar things
  6. Talk about endangered species-understand and come up with other examples of endangered animals
  7. Use the internet to find information about the Beluga Whale
  8. Do fun learning activities
  • Materials:
  1. Flipchart and markers
  2. Photographs from students
  3. Dot-to-dot
  4. Book on Beluga whales
  5. Overhead projector
  6. Computers
  7. Picture of beluga without parts labeled
  8. Map
  • Plan:
  1. Review and list Polar animals-identify a Beluga Whale from other animals.
  2. Show picture of a Beluga on the overhead, identify with class the parts of the whale and hand out a copy for them.
  3. List the facts about Beluga; give them choices, not just answers, possibly true/false survey.
  4. Put map on overhead-determine where the whales live. What other animals live there? Flamingo?
  5. Write the weight & height of a Beluga on flip chart-make comparisons with the class.
  6. Look up endangered on the internet, determine meaning and find other animals that are classified as endangered species.
  7. Go to
  8. Give out a list of books.
  9. Write a narrative about what is might be like to live as a Beluga Whale, include a picture if you would like.
  10. Websites to learn more about Beluga Whales:
  • -Blue Planet: Seas of Life Frozen Seas- view video clip
  • - coloring page


  • Day 3:
  • Objectives:
  1. For students to be able to learn about types of penguins that live in the Polar Region.
  2. The students will be able to tell what the penguins eat, how they mate, and what their habitat is like in the Polar Region.
  • Materials:
  1. Internet connected computer
  2. Pencil
  3. Worksheet
  4. KWL chart
  5. *Reserve Computer Lab

*If only one computer is available the teacher will project the websites on the screen and the groups will collect their information.

  • Plan:
  1. The lesson will start in a computer lab or at a projectable PC that is Internet connected.
  2. To activate prior knowledge, the students as a group the class will fill in a K-W-L on penguins.
  3. The teacher will have the students work in small groups (instructions given to students on how to work in small group if they have not done so at this point) and go to a variety of websites to gather information on penguins. As they gather information they will fill out the attached worksheet.
  4. Websites for groups to explore and acquire information:
  5. Polar Adventure, Learning about the Polar Regions - A Third Grade Web Activity
  6. Specific to Penguins – Penguin Basic information. The Adelie and the Emperor are the two true Antarctic species.
  7. Penguins around the world:
  8. Penguins:
  9. Enchanted Learning:
  10. National Geographic -
  11. Kid zone
  • Closing:
  • The groups will share the information they learned about penguins and all students will complete their K-W-L chart.
  • Extension activity:
  • Writing about what was learned today about Penguins.
  • Compare and contrast - penguins and another animal you learned about in the Polar Region.
  • Day 4:
  • Objectives:
  1. Go over new vocabulary pertaining to Polar Bears with students.
  2. Identify the region and location of the Polar Bear.
  3. Describe the physical characteristics of the Polar Bear.
  4. Compare and contrast the aquatic environment of the Polar Bear to your own.
  5. Identify the eating habits of the Polar Bears.
  • Materials:
  1. World Map
  2. A piece of fur that is like that of a Polar Bear
  3. Pictures of a vocabulary
  4. Vocabulary list
  5. Polar Bear Cubs by Matthew Downs
  6. Land of ice activity retrieved from
  7. Ice, 3 glasses, crushed ice, and water for the land of ice activity- Make sure you have enough for groups of students
  • Plan:
  1. Go over vocabulary by handing out laminated pictures around the room. Have a list of vocabulary words typed onto a sheet of paper that is handed out to each student. The students are to write a sentence next to each vocabulary word with the help of the pictures. Go over each vocabulary word with the students once the pictures are back in the teacher’s hands.
  2. Mark and locate on the map where the Polar Bear lives.
  3. Have the students look at pictures of Polar Bears on the Internet using the teacher’s computer screen projector:
  4. Pass around examples of Polar Bear like fur as you are talking about the characteristics of the Polar Bear.
  5. Pair Students – have them give you a list of what they do when they swim- have them share with the class. Ask them to write down as a pair what they think the Polar Bear does when they swim. Go over aquatic environment of the Polar Bear and compare it to their own.
  6. Put the students into groups of four. Have them draw pictures of what they eat. Ask them to think about what Polar Bears eat. Go over with them what Polar Bears actually eat.
  7. Have students join in and experiment with Land of Ice Activity.
  8. Meet on Carpet for story Polar Bear Cubs- Matthews, Downs. Polar Bear Cubs. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., 1989.
  • Day 5
  • Objectives:
  1. Students will take the information that they have learned this week to build a diorama of the Arctic or Antarctica
  2. Students will construct, plan and space the materials for the diorama
  • Materials:
  1. Shoe box
  2. Magic markers
  3. Construction paper
  4. String
  5. Glue stick/Glitter glue
  6. Scissors
  7. Photos of the polar animals/region
  8. Tape
  9. Whale music on CD player
  • Plan:
  1. Discuss with students what was learned this week about Polar animals/regions.
  2. Show model of diorama (children have previously produced a diorama).
  3. Give directions to where materials can be found in the classroom.
  4. Have children collect all materials needed for the project.
  5. Turn on the CD player and let the children create!
  • Additional Resources:
  • - This site is geared for 3-5 grades and is similar to a web quest. Overall time would be 4-5 hours

January 15, 2003

Dear Parents,

On February 1, 2003 we will begin a unit on Polar Regions. We will be specifically studying polar bears, penguins, and beluga whales. We are asking your help to send in any books, materials, or other interesting artifacts you would be willing to share with the class.

In addition to materials on Polar Regions, each child will need a shoebox for our unit craft.

Please send in the materials no later than January 30, 2003.

Thank you again for all your support and cooperation,

Third Grade Team