Bear+Box+Introduction+Activities


 * Bear Box Introduction Lesson Plan**


 * Objectives:**
 * Students will begin to understand bear study strategies utilized by wildlife researcher Dr. Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield
 * Students will learn physical characteristics of bears (bear biology)
 * Students will understand what hibernation means
 * Students will develop a keenness to learn about bears

//Allow children to answer// //This may need to be guided with questions like: Do you want to know what they eat? What color they are?// You can download the ringtone on an IPod or a lap top: []
 * Introduction to Dr. Rogers and Ms Sue:**
 * What is a bear biologist?
 * Acknowledge answers that are correct and guide/mold answers. A bear biologist is a person who studies bears. Ask: what kinds of things do you want to know about black bears?
 * Acknowledge answers by making a list of things they want to know. Say: the way Dr. Rogers (show his picture) studies bears is he builds trust with them by providing a few foods and spending time near them. Once he builds their trust he slips a radio collar on them (show collar and pictures of bears with collars from the posters or manual). Next he walks with them (sometimes all day and night) and writes down everything they do; what they eat, where they sleep and even when they go to the bathroom! Bear biologists must write down everything they see and hear. The bears recognize the way he smells and the sound of this voice. When he approaches the bears he tells them he is coming by talking to them. Do you want to hear his voice?
 * Sound Tools:**

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 * Dr. Rogers has been walking with bears for a long time and he has a partner that helps him, Sue Mansfield is a woman (girl) bear biologist (show picture). YEAH, girls can be bear biologists too. Ms Sue does the same thing; she builds trust and then walks with the bears making notes of everything they do. She also makes pictures and videos.
 * Background information:**


 * NOTE:** I have also used some of the videos from Madelene Ostrowski for this introduction.


 * Introduction of Lily and Hope:**
 * Show children the Lily and Hope plush. Tell them Hope is the first wild cub to be born on a webcam (show a picture of the webcam). Explain briefly that Hope and Lily were separated and then got back together for a short time and then separated again. During the second time they were separated for a long time so Dr. Rogers and Ms Sue had to supplement Hope’s food (show pictures). Finally they got back together.
 * Video:** After explaining this to the children show Olatz’s video for the WRI fund raiser (it chronicles the Lily and Hope story nicely). It is helpful to explain to the children what they are seeing (basically seeing/hearing the story again).


 * Introduction to New Bear Family:**
 * The new family is Mama: Lily, Big Sister: Hope, Boy Cub: Jason and Girl Cub: Faith. Show pictures.
 * Video:** So videos from website, if possible. []

//Usually children will growl.//
 * Bear Talk**
 * So are we ready to learn about black bears? First, can you make the sound that a black bear makes?
 * Frown and say: wow, do you think black bears growl? Let’s listen to some sounds they make.
 * Mothers make a sweet sounding grunt in the back of their throat when talking to cubs (website). Model this by making the sound and placing your fingers on the front of your throat (you can feel the sound there). Have children practice the sound.


 * When cubs are upset or hungry they make a crying sound almost like a human baby. Listen to the sound (website or ringtone download). Have children practice the sound.


 * When cubs nurse (drink milk from their mother) they sound like a motor. Listen to the sound. Have the children practice the sound.

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 * Next practice the sounds by saying: Ok, a cub is hungry, what does he sound like? (Children respond) What does mommy bear say? (Children respond) Now the cub is drinking milk, what does that sound like? (Children respond)

//NO//
 * Ask: So have you heard any growling so far?
 * Oh maybe when a black bear gets angry, upset or if they are afraid they growl? Actually, black bears are very smart animals and very timid (that means they don’t like to be around people, they are shy). They are afraid of you but they do make some sounds to tell you they are afraid or to leave them alone. This behavior/sound is called “bluster”. Say it with me: bluster. Now you are going to see “bluster”. Explain to the children what they will see: a bear blow, chomp their teeth, stomp and retreat. Listen for the sounds.
 * Video:** [] (If you don’t have access to internet you can download this on a laptop.)
 * Talk them through the video pointing out the blowing, clacking teeth, stomping and the retreats.


 * So what should you do if you come upon a black bear in the woods and he blusters? Let them know you are human by talking calmly and just back away…the bear will be trying to get away from you too! Let’s practice that.


 * Activity:** Divide the class in half (usually boys and girls works) and have one group be the bears. That group will get down on the floor to blow, clack, stomp and turn to retreat. The other group will say calmly “It’s me bear, I’m leaving bear.” And back away. Practice twice and then have them switch characters.

//NO//
 * Now, do black bears growl?


 * Bear Sense**
 * Show the bear skull and/or a picture of a bear head:
 * Point to eyes: Tell them black bears can see in color. What color are black bear’s eyes? Yes, brown when they grow up (Show pictures of adult bears with brown eyes and have all the children with brown eyes stand up). When cubs are born they have blue eyes (show pictures and have all the children with blue eyes stand up).
 * Point to the ears: Bears’ ability to hear is good. They probably can hear twice as good as we can. Sometimes they stand up on their back legs to hear and smell.
 * Point to nose: Bear’s ability to smell is really good. They use it to tell them if there is danger and to know where their territory (their part of the forest) is. That’s right they put their smell out in their territory and other bears smell it and don’t come into their part of the forest.

Suggested smells: pine, cinnamon, vanilla (they should be very dissimilar) Presentation of smells: place them in a cup and cover it with a paper towel, punch small holes in the paper towel
 * Activity:** What’s that smell? Place three very different smells on three tables. Give each child a cotton ball with one of the smells and ask them to find that smell. After they select a matching smell, ask their friends to review.

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 * Point to mouth/teeth: Bear’s do not have sharp teeth to tear meat because they eat mostly berries, grass, nut, ants, bees and caterpillars.
 * Show artificial berries and acorn from Touch and Feel bag. Show pictures from manual of some other items. Finally, talk to them about the “bear popsicle”. Bears like to lick caterpillars off a tree just like you like to lick a popsicle. Show picture and pretend to be licking a popsicle.

**Activity:** Utilizing a yard stick measure the length and height at the withers by using the children as markers (one at each end and one indicating height with their hand.
 * Bear Body**
 * Show a picture of the whole body.
 * Color *Ask: Is a black bear black? //Yes// Or What color is a black bear. //Black// *Have children with black hair stand up-Yes, most black bears are black. Have children with brown hair stand up-some have brown hair. Have children with red hair stand up-some have red hair. Have children with blond hair stand up-some have blond and even WHITE hair. Show pictures of the various black bear colors and pass around “Honey’s Hair”. []
 * Feet *Ask: How are black bears’ feet like yours? Allow children to guess. Show the black bear paw print and count the toes…Black bears have five toes and so do you. What about claws…oh my paws and claws (hey that rhymes) Show the bear claw. Why do bears need these claws: to open up logs for ants and climb trees. Show the difference between the large bear paw and the cub paws…pass around the paws and claws while you play “My Paws Bigger Than Your Paw” []
 * Size *How big is a black bear? //Very big//*Tell them the weight and height of an adult black bear (male and female).
 * Optional/Additional:** Utilizing a yard stick have students draw a bear on a large piece of paper taped to the wall. Cut it out and have the students color it.


 * Bear Hibernation**
 * Note:** For preschool students, you may not want to discuss the five stages of hibernation that are outlined on the [|www.bear.org] website, since those concepts may be too difficult for young children. Depends on the group!


 * hibernation means that food is scarce (not available) so animals are sleepy and live off the fat they store on their bodies

Display three bowls: one empty, one with only a few berries and one with many berries. Ask the children to look at the bowls next ask them to point to the bowl when the bears are fully awake (bowl with many berries), point to the bowl when the bears are beginning to slow down for hibernation (bowl with a few berries), point to the bowl when bears are hibernating and point to the bowl when bears are leaving the den (bowl with a few berries).
 * Bear Fact:** Some bears can hibernate up to 7 months (show calendar and count months) without eating or going to the bathroom…WOW! What else can happen when bears are hibernating (//some have cubs//)?
 * Activity**: Talk with the children about the types of foods bears like to eat (fruits, nuts and foliage) and review the meaning of hibernation.
 * Snack**: Bear Food: dried fruit, spouts/spinach leaves to represent foliage and water (no nuts because of allergies)
 * Optional snack presentation:** Place snack in cups around the room so children can forage for the food like the bears.