Education Standards
Frozen Planet Documentary-Six Episode
Week one of Kindergarten IB Unit-Polar Regions
Overview
This lesson is to introduce the IB Unit of Inquiry, "Where We Are in Place and Time". The Central Idea: Environmental factors influence the adaption of living things. Lines of Inquiry that will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea:
- Animal/human adaptations
- The location determines climate (map skills)
- Compare/contrast the two polar regions
Teacher questions/provocations that will drive these inquiries:
- What is the landscape of the Polar Regions?
- What factors affect the climate of the Polar Regions?
- How does climate affect adaptations?
KWL
Day 1:
The first activity with this unit will be a KWL exercise. Chart paper will be used to create a list of what the students know about the word, "polar" and "polar region". The class will be sitting together telling the teacher what they'd like to add to the list of what they "Know". This will be displayed in the classroom. Following the "Know" list students will begin to brainstorm what they'd like to learn about this region. These inquiries will help guide the unit. The teacher is the facilitator in this unit and will help guide the children to learn what it is they're curious about and what they don't already know. The "Want to learn" list will be created and displayed alongside the "Know" list.
Books about the Polar Regions and animals will already be on display for students to browse during free time and reading time. Once the list of what the students would like to learn has been created the teacher will continue to add resources to the collection that cater to their questions.
Peaking more interest
Day2:
To further stir students ‘curiosity the teacher will show the below link on the smart board. This has six photos with captions and links that will continue discussion on the Polar Region. This fourth slide also includes a map that will be part of the unit further along. The class will go through these six pages creating more questions and curiosities. This will also be the start of looking at maps of the Polar Regions. Questions can be added to the “Want to know” list created on day 1
Windows to the Universe:
https://www.windows2universe.org/?page=/earth/polar/polar.html
Another resource that will be used throughout this unit is the documentary series, “Frozen Planet”. One episode will be viewed each week of the unit-See Resources
Mapping
Day 3: Mapping
Today the class will look at a map on the Smartboard to understand where the Polar Regions are located. They will see it as a globe and as a flat surface. After interacting with and learning about the globe students will create their own maps highlighting arctic regions.
Polar Bear Habitat
Day 4/5: Polar Bear Habitat - See Resource Tab