Polar Bears

Science · Polar Regions · ages 5-7

Name ______________________ Date ____________

What covers a polar bear's body and helps keep it warm?
- A coat of feathers
- A coat of thick fur
- A coat of shiny scales
Where do wild polar bears live?
- In the Arctic
- In Antarctica
- In tropical forests
A polar bear's skin is white, and its fur looks white too.
Circle one: True False
Which seal-hunting method does the lesson describe?
- Waiting beside a breathing hole in ice
- Digging a deep sleeping den in the snow
- Following a seal into a tropical forest
Besides thick fur, what helps hold in a polar bear's body heat?
- A hard shell around its whole body
- A feather coat beneath its thick fur
- A fat layer under its skin
Polar bears can swim well.
Circle one: True False
Why can a seal's breathing hole be a useful place for a polar bear to wait?
- The seal needs to sleep at that exact hole
- The bear cannot enter any cold sea water
- The seal needs to come up for air
Nia says a polar bear catches a seal every time it waits at a breathing hole. Which correction fits the lesson?
- Every wait ends with a seal being caught
- Waiting may end without a catch
- Only bears that cannot swim wait by holes

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

A coat of thick fur · Thick fur covers the bear's body and helps keep it warm.
In the Arctic · Wild polar bears live in the Arctic.
False · The fur looks white, but the skin is black.
Waiting beside a breathing hole in ice · A bear may wait by a breathing hole and try to catch a seal that surfaces there.
A fat layer under its skin · Blubber is a layer of fat under the skin that helps hold in body heat.
True · The lesson says polar bears can swim well.
The seal needs to come up for air · Seals breathe air. A seal may surface at the watched hole, giving the bear a chance to catch it.
Waiting may end without a catch · A seal can use another opening, and a waiting bear does not catch a seal every time.