Last updated: September 26, 2019
Lesson Plan
Hibernation-Migration Fascination
- Grade Level:
- Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subject:
- Science
- Lesson Duration:
- 90 Minutes
Essential Question
How do animals survive the winter?
Objective
Students will understand hibernation versus migration as strategies for surviving winter.
Background
This is a compare and contrast exercise, and a homework assignment to design a game about grizzly bears and hibernation. The main characters in this activity are grizzly bears and marmots, but most of the material is also applicable to black bears and Colombian ground squirrels. For a review and links to more information about bears in Glacier, visit It's Not Easy Being Grizz, News Bearly Fit to Print, and Subalpine Web.
Preparation
- Copies of narrative for each student
- Ccomparison worksheet for each student
Materials
Have student answer these questions with 'yes' or 'no'.
Procedure
1. Have students read the "Narrative" and complete the table attached in the materials section, with "yes", "no" or "sometimes" for the grizzly bear and marmot, indicating the amounts requested.
How would you define hibernation? Is grizzly hibernation less complicated than marmot hibernation? Is hibernation easier or harder for small animals like Colombian ground squirrels or jumping mice? Why?
2. In winter, chickadees lower their body temperature 10 degrees when they sleep in a tree cavity overnight. Is this hibernation? Do you think that female grizzlies would have a harder or easier time getting through a winter
3. Describe the food conditions under which a grizzly could have triplets (review from Unit 2). Over time, which grizzlies, the lowland or the backcountry, will be higher in population? Why?
Extension
1. Have students design a game using all the bear and marmot information they now have. Have them think about “Old Maid”, “Trivial Pursuits”, “Jeopardy”, “Bingo”, Matching” or “So You Want to Be a Bear Biologist” as examples of formats they can try. Choose, with student input, one or two games when the assignments are due for the students to play.
2. Have students write a story about a grizzly’s life during one year.
3. Have them compare the grizzly and marmot winter strategies to other animals, including humans.