View more polar bear and arctic activities and printables

Directions:

In Arctic Waters is an excellent book to introduce the arctic animals to your children. In this arctic adaptation of “This Is the House that Jack Built,” the story follows polar bears, walruses, seals, narwhals, and beluga whales as they chase each other around “the ice that floats in the Arctic waters.” Not only is the rhythmic, cumulative prose good for early readers, it is a pure delight to read aloud.

Before reading the book, look at the book cover together and ask children what they think the book is about. Read the title of the book.

Make a chart with two columns labeled with “What We Know” and “What We Would Like to Know." Ask children what they know about animals that live in the arctic. Write their answers on the chart.

Ask questions like:

Where is the arctic?
What do you think the weather in the arctic is like?
What kinds of animals live in the arctic?
How do you think the animals keep warm?
Do people live in the arctic? Do you know what they are called?
How are the arctic animals useful for the people living in the arctic?
What do polar bears eat?
What are some threats to the polar bear?
Do penguins live in the arctic?

Extensions:

Locate Alaska and the arctic region on a globe or on a map. Look up Alaska and arctic animals on the Internet.

Make a list of all the animals you found out that live in the arctic and place them on a poster board and hang it up in the room.

Have children pick their favorite arctic animal and use markers to make a picture of it.

Use the printouts from the publishers “For Creative Minds” section to help children learn how these animals live in the cold, icy arctic region.

Letter Ii - Learn about the Inuit and igloos.