Your next great Lessn starts here.

Exploring Animal Habitats – Meet the dromedary camel – Lives in deserts, has one hump for fat storage – Discover the polar bear – Found in Arctic, has thick fur and fat for warmth – What’s common between them? – Their homes and survival – Camels in hot deserts, polar bears in cold Arctic | This slide introduces first graders to the habitats of dromedary camels and polar bears, emphasizing the concept of adaptation. Explain that dromedary camels live in hot deserts and have one hump to store fat, which helps them survive without food or water for long periods. Polar bears are native to the cold Arctic region, where their thick fur and layer of fat keep them warm. Highlight that despite their different environments, both animals have special traits that help them live in their respective habitats. Engage the class by asking if they know any similarities between the two animals before revealing that both are adapted to survive in extreme conditions. This will set the stage for a discussion on animal adaptations and the importance of the environment in shaping how animals live.

Meet the Dromedary Camel – Dromedary camels have one hump – The hump is not for water; it’s for storing fat! – They live in hot deserts – Deserts like the Sahara are their home – Camels can go without water – They can last weeks without drinking – Their humps store fat for energy – Fat in the hump is used when food is scarce | This slide introduces first graders to the dromedary camel and its distinctive traits. Emphasize the camel’s adaptation to its environment, such as its ability to survive in hot deserts with little water. Explain that the hump is a special adaptation for storing fat, which provides energy when food is hard to find. Use simple language and encourage students to think about how these adaptations help the camel live in such a challenging habitat. You can also compare the camel’s hump to a lunchbox that stores food for later!

Camels’ Desert Home – Deserts: hot and dry – Deserts don’t have much water or rain. – Camels’ wide feet – Wide feet help camels walk on sand without sinking. – Camels drink lots of water – They can drink up to 40 gallons at once! | This slide introduces first graders to the habitat of dromedary camels, which is the desert. Emphasize the extreme conditions of the desert, such as high temperatures and lack of water. Explain how camels are adapted to their environment with special features like wide feet for walking on sand. Highlight their ability to drink large quantities of water when it’s available, which helps them survive long periods without water. Use simple language and consider incorporating a class activity where students can try walking on different surfaces to understand the concept of wide feet providing stability on sand.

Meet the Polar Bear – Polar bears have thick fur – Their fur and fat keep them warm – They live in the Arctic – The Arctic is a cold place at the top of the Earth – Polar bears are great swimmers – They swim to travel and find food – They can catch fish | This slide introduces first graders to the polar bear, a large mammal adapted to life in the Arctic. Emphasize the polar bear’s thick fur and fat layer, which act as insulation against the cold. Explain that the Arctic is the polar region in the northernmost part of the Earth, characterized by extreme cold and ice. Highlight the polar bear’s swimming ability, which is essential for traveling across the water and hunting for fish, their primary food source. Use simple language and encourage students to think about how these traits help the polar bear survive in its habitat.

Polar Bears’ Arctic Home – The Arctic’s snowy landscape – A vast, white world of ice and snow, where it’s very chilly! – Polar bears’ large paws – Big paws help them not to slip on the ice and swim in cold water. – Strong sense of smell – They can sniff out their food, like seals, even when it’s hidden under the snow! – Adapted to cold habitats | This slide introduces students to the habitat of polar bears, emphasizing the Arctic’s cold, snowy, and icy environment. Explain how the physical traits of polar bears, such as their large paws, are adaptations that help them survive in this harsh climate. Their paws act like snowshoes to distribute their weight and prevent them from sinking into the snow, as well as aiding in swimming. Their keen sense of smell allows them to locate prey, such as seals, beneath the snow and ice. Use this opportunity to discuss how animals are adapted to their environments, which is a key concept in understanding animal traits and habitats.

Comparing Homes: Desert vs. Arctic – Desert and Arctic differences – The desert is hot and dry, the Arctic is cold and icy – Camels adapt to the desert – Camels have humps for storing fat and can drink lots of water at once – Polar bears adapt to the Arctic – Polar bears have thick fur and fat to keep warm, and large paws for walking on snow – What if they switched places? | This slide aims to teach students about the different habitats of dromedary camels and polar bears, emphasizing how each animal is uniquely adapted to its environment. The desert, home to camels, is characterized by extreme heat and scarce water, while the Arctic, where polar bears live, is known for its frigid temperatures and icy landscape. Discuss with the students how camels store fat in their humps to survive long periods without food and can drink large amounts of water when it’s available. Contrast this with polar bears, which rely on their thick fur and fat for insulation against the cold and have wide paws to distribute their weight on snow and ice. Encourage a class discussion on what challenges these animals might face if they were in each other’s habitats, fostering an understanding of adaptation and survival.

Animal Homes and Survival Traits – Traits help animals survive – Traits are special features like fur or beaks – Camels have humps for the desert – Humps store fat for energy in hot, food-scarce deserts – Polar bears have thick fur for the cold – Thick fur keeps polar bears warm in icy Arctic – What traits do other animals have? | This slide introduces the concept of traits and how they help animals like camels and polar bears survive in their specific environments. Explain that a trait is a special feature that an animal has, which helps it live in its home. For example, camels have humps to store fat, which they can use for energy when food is hard to find in the desert. Polar bears have thick fur to keep them warm in the cold Arctic. Encourage the children to think of other animals they know and discuss the special traits these animals have that help them live in their environments. This will help students understand adaptation and the relationship between an animal’s traits and its habitat.

Class Activity: Exploring Animal Homes – Pretend to be camels or polar bears – Create a classroom desert and Arctic – Discuss survival traits for each home – Camels need humps for water, polar bears need thick fur for warmth – Imagine living in extreme habitats | This activity is designed to help students understand animal adaptations to their environments. Set up two distinct areas in the classroom to represent a desert and the Arctic. Allow students to role-play as camels in the desert and polar bears in the Arctic. Discuss the traits that help these animals survive in their respective homes, such as the camel’s hump for storing fat and water, and the polar bear’s thick fur and layer of fat for insulation. Encourage students to think about what it would be like to live in such extreme conditions and how their bodies would need to adapt. Possible activities: 1) Create paper humps or white fur coats, 2) Discuss how these animals find food, 3) Talk about the climate of each habitat, 4) Draw pictures of the animals in their homes, 5) Have a ‘cool down’ and ‘warm up’ session to mimic temperature changes.