NATURE

Born to be Wild
Subject: Science, Math, Language Arts
Grade Level: 4-6

For centuries, polar bears have come to a certain peninsular in Canada to wait for the sea to freeze so that they can go out on the ice to hunt seals. In the 1930s, however, the town of Churchill was built at this very spot. Since this time, a struggle has ensued every autumn between the bears and the human population of the town. In this lesson, students will research the issues surrounding the close proximity of bears and people in Churchill, Canada.

OVERVIEW

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:
  • synthesize information from a variety of sources.
  • interpret facts and express meaning through writing activities.
  • use storytelling techniques to convey multiple viewpoints.
Bookmark the following sites:


Materials

"The Polar Bears of Churchill" program
Internet access

Standards
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/search.asp

Science
Standard 6
Understands relationships among organisms and their physical environment
Level IV Grade: 9-12

Language Arts
Writing
Standard 1
Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
Level IV Grade: 9-12

Standard 2
Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing
Level IV Grade: 9-12

Standard 4
Gathers and uses information for research purposes
Level IV Grade: 9-12

Reading
Standard 7
Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts
Level IV Grade: 9-12



PROCEDURES FOR TEACHERS

Background Activities

Activity One

The purpose of this activity is for students to build background knowledge on polar bears.

1. Send students to the following sites to collect 5-10 pieces of information on polar bears:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/whitebear/index.html
http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/html/polar_bear.html
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0012/feature2/
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/polar.bear/pbfacts.htm
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/polar.bear/pbthreats.htm

2. Write these categories on the board and record students' information under the corresponding headings.
  • Classification
  • Characteristics
  • Diet
  • Habitat
  • Adaptations
  • Behavior
  • Threats
  • Reproduction
3. Tell students to imagine that they are living in Canada in 1929. People are discussing building a port town in the middle of polar bear country where they can store grain from all over Canada and distribute it by train and by ship through the Hudson Bay. Discuss the foreseeable pros and cons of building this town.

Steps

Activity One

In this activity students will write letters to compare and contrast the issues surrounding polar bears in Churchill with bears in Yosemite National Park.

 1. Divide the class into two groups. Group one will research polar bears in Churchill and group two will investigate bears in Yosemite National Park.

2. Each group member will choose a member from the other group to be their pen pal. Students will imagine that they are living in either Churchill or Yosemite and write to their pen pal about the bear dilemma in the area where they live. Students will write three or four letters to their pen pals.

3. The series of letters should contain the following:
  • Description of where you live
  • Description of the bears and their habits
  • Description of problems with bears in your area
  • Description of a real bear/human incident from your area
  • Explanation of bear safety in your area
  • Explanation of what is being done about the problem
  • Explanation of what you think should be done about the bears
  • Questions for your pen pal about the bears in their area
  • Answers to your pen pal's questions
4. These sites are a good place for the polar bear group to begin their Internet research:
http://parkscanada.pch.gc.ca/library/nationalparks/polar/english/polar_e.htm
http://www.tv.cbc.ca/national/pgminfo/warming/bears.html
http://www.chem.ucla.edu/~alice/explorations/churchill/bear_lore.htm
http://www.chem.ucla.edu/~alice/explorations/churchill/evac.htm
http://www.chem.ucla.edu/~alice/explorations/churchill/wildlife_mgmt.htm

5. These sites discuss the bear population in Yosemite:
http://www.yosemite.org/newsroom/bears98/
http://www.yosemite.org/newsroom/clips2001/June/061501.html
http://www.nps.gov/yose/bears.htm
http://yosemite.areaparks.com/parkinformation.html?content=bears
http://www.backpacker.com/article/0,2646,1580,00.html

6. After students have completed their letter writing, ask them to brainstorm a list of possible suggestions to help answer the question Ian poses during "The Polar Bears of Churchill" program: "The real problem is how do you let the bears do what their instincts are telling them to do without getting into trouble with people?"

Activity Two

In this activity students will stage a mock town meeting to discuss the polar bear problem.

1. Inform students that they are going to participate in a mock town meeting to deal with the polar bear problem.

2. Tell students that a town meeting has been called because some people in town think that the presence of the polar bears has made it too dangerous for the kids to trick-or-treat this year.

3. Divide the class into two groups, one that agrees that it is too dangerous to go trick-or-treating and a second group that thinks trick-or-treating should go on as usual.

4. Ask each group to formulate a position on the Halloween issue, and to think about possible solutions to the polar bear problem, which can be discussed at the meeting.

5. Choose one student to monitor the meeting.

6. Stage the town meeting.

7. After the town meeting, ask each student to write an account of the events of the town meeting for the local paper.

Activity Three

In this activity students will read a true account of a human encounter with a polar bear and re-write the story from the perspective of the polar bear.

1. Send students to the bear lore section of the "Churchill, Canada" Web site:
http://www.chem.ucla.edu/~alice/explorations/churchill/bear_lore.htm

2. Ask students to select one of the polar bear stories and re-write the story from the bear's point of view.

3. Provide time for students to share their stories with the class.

Extension Activities

Visit the "Born Free Foundation" Web site to learn about its work in preventing cruelty, alleviating suffering, and encouraging everyone to treat all individual animals with respect:
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/bornfree.htm


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