STEAM with
Ms. Amy
May 4: STEAM: Bears
What is a bear?
Bears are furry mammals with large heads, thick legs and short tails. They have a great sense of smell but have weak eyesight and hearing. Some bears are carnivores and eat meat, while others are herbivores and eat plants.
How many types of bears are there? Watch this video to find out.
There are 8 types of bears. How many different types of bears can you name?
Experiment
This science experiment uses ice cold water, rubber gloves, ziplock bags, duct tape and Crisco. This simple experiment will help you feel how polar bears keep warm and the importance of blubber.
Which hand could you keep in the water longer? Could you feel the cold water through the layer of Crisco? For further exploration, try different substances like butter, a piece of bread, peanut butter, and whipped cream to see if it insulates like the Crisco.
Polar bears have blubber that really helps keep them warm but they also have thick fur. Thick fur and blubber keep these warm-blooded mammals warm in up to -50 degree temperatures! The Crisco is made of fat. In this project it is like the blubber that insulates a polar bear to help keep it warm.
Bear Art
Could you use a fork and paint to make a bear? I wonder what type of bear you will make?
For this project you will need a plastic fork, paint for bear, paper for ears, nose and background paper (depending on bear color), scissors, glue and googly eyes if you have them.
Engineering
Teddy Bear Bridge
Can you make a bridge for your teddy bears (or any animals you have) to walk across? Will you use small animals or big animals?
You could use cups and craft sticks to make the bridge. I wonder how long you can make the bridge for your bears? Use a measuring tape to see. I wonder if there is a way for you to make your bridge taller? If you are using bigger animals what different materials will you need? Share your bridges with Ms. Laurel for the Dolphin blog. View the website
Make a den to hibernate in
First, think about what type of bear you will be. I wonder if you will be a polar bear and make a den with white materials like a white sheet covering a table? Or I wonder if you will be a brown bear and use a box to make your den. How could you make it cozy for a long sleep? What other items do you need to make it a home? View the website
Coding for Berries 🍓🍓🍓🍓
Coding is a set of instructions given to complete a task. In this fun coding game you will move your bear from its home to the berry patch by following the arrows. Watch the video STEAM: Bear Coding with Amy to find out how to play the game.
Make an Igloo
If you were to live where the polar bears live, you would need a shelter made out of snow and ice, called an igloo.
Could you make an igloo for a mini-you? I wonder if you can estimate how many marshmallows it would take to make your igloo?
For this project, you will need a toilet paper tube, a paper bowl and paper plate, mini marshmallows, glue and a craft stick.
How many marshmallows did it take to make the igloo?
I wonder if you can make a mini version of you to stand outside your igloo. Draw yourself on paper, cut out and glue a toothpick behind it and poke it into your plate.
Science
How do brown and black bears pick berries?
Do they use their big paws with 5 claws? Observe the bear in this video, Bears and Berries.
What did you observe?
Bears use their lips to pick the berries! Can you use only your lips to eat some berries?
Can you guess how many teeth bears have? How many teeth do you have?
Bears have 42 teeth! We only have 20 teeth. Bears have incisors that are good for clipping food (like berries or grasses). Their canines are really big, sharp, pointy teeth. They're perfect for grabbing a log and ripping it open so a bear can eat a bunch of ants or grub. Bears also have mostly flat but slightly bumpy molars. These are perfect for grinding up nuts and leaves.
How could you use a fork like a tooth? Would it be like an incisor for grinding food or does it act like a different tooth? What type of tooth would a spoon be like? With bear foods (berries, nuts and fish) could you use only a fork or spoon to grab or smash your food like a bear?
Cooking
Chocolate Bear Paws
How many claws do bears have? 5 on each paw! In this family activity, you will add claws to bear cookie paws. Enjoy! View the website
