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Jan 6, 2016
Ocean Theme Activities· PreK· Science· Winter Theme Activities

Arctic Animals Preschool Science: Blubber and Ice Explorations!

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For those of you who are new to the #TeachECE Wednesday activities, WELCOME!  Each Wednesday throughout the year, we partner with the Early Childhood Educational Team  to offer you, our valued readers, playful learning suggestions for use at home or in the classroom.  This week’s activities are centered around an ARCTIC TUNDRA theme.  Come explore a simple science experiment with “blubber” and ice that will help preschoolers visualize how polar animals survive in the extreme temperatures of the Arctic!

Arctic Animals Science_Blubber and Ice in Preschool

Background Information for Parents and Teachers:  Animals that live in the Arctic region (Arctic Ocean, parts of Canada, Russia, Alaska, and some Nordic Countries) are known as Arctic animals.   Arctic animals have special adaptations that allow them to survive on the frozen tundra in this unique region of the world.  One of the special adaptations is BLUBBER.  Blubber is a thick fatty tissue just under the skin of many arctic animals such as seals, whales, and polar bears.  The fatty tissue not only keeps the animals warm in the extreme cold, but it serves as a fuel source when food is scarce.  To help preschoolers visualize the insulating properties of blubber, try the following simple science experiment!

BLUBBER and ICE ARCTIC SCIENCE for PRESCHOOLERS!

Disclosure:  This post and others within this blog contain affiliate and/or distributor links.  Please see the ABOUT page for more information.

Show the children on a world map where the Arctic region is located in relationship to where they live.  There are also some wonderful maps online if the children have access to technology.  Ask the children if they know what blubber is?  Some of the children may already know, but many will not.  Discuss what blubber does and show the children some of the Arctic animals that have blubber.  We have several of the Safari Ltd Arctic Toobs that are great for playful learning and Arctic explorations.

Inquiry for the investigation:  Given the same room temperature, which ice cube will melt faster – the one coated in shortening OR the uncoated ice?

Materials needed:

  • Ice Cubes
  • Two Bowls (per student or small group)
  • Shortening
  • Timer or Digital Stopwatch
  • Paper and Pencils or Markers
Blubber Coated Ice - Arctic Experiment for Preschool
“Blubber” Coated Ice Cube Balls

Invite the kids to place 2-3 ice cubes in each of the two bowls.  In one bowl, have the children surround the ice cube in a thick coating of shortening (fair warning – it is messy, but our kids did great)!  Set the bowls out on a table and start the stopwatch.  Have the kids record the starting time on a sheet of paper.   Invite the kids to periodically observe when the ice melts in each of the two bowls.  Record the time that the non-coated ice melts on the recording sheet (indoors it took our non-coated ice cubes an hour and 3 minutes to fully melt).  Come together as a group to discuss why the ice coated in shortening took longer to melt.  The shortening acts as blubber (protection/insulation) for the ice in this simple experiment.

When the uncoated ice melts, cut into the blubber coated ice. What will the kids find?
When the uncoated ice melts, cut into the blubber on the coated ice. What will the kids find?

As the children are waiting for the ice to melt, teach them a simple song about Blubber and Polar Bears:

Bear is Sleeping (sung to Frere Jacques)

Bear is sleeping, bear is sleeping,

Nice and warm, nice and warm.

Blubber keeps bears cozy, blubber keeps bears cozy,

When it’s COLD, when it’s COLD!

MORE Arctic Tundra Learning Activities from The Early Childhood Education Team:

Arctic Animal Sensory Writing Tray by Fun-A-Day

Home-made Books: Tundra by Powerful Mothering

Arctic Animals Writing Prompts by The Educators’ Spin On It

Why Are Polar Bears White? | Animal Adaptations on the Arctic Tundra by Raising Lifelong Learners

Tundra Animal Sharing and Halving by Rainy Day Mum
Arctic Edition, Mother May I Gross Motor Game by Tiny Tots Adventures

Arctic Animal Matching Games by Life Over C’s

Science Fun-Learning About the Woolly Bear Caterpillar by Capri + 3

Arctic Preschool Letter Hunt by Learning 2 Walk

Polar Bear Sound Activity by Growing Book by Book

For more WINTER activities, please see the WINTER category here on the blog!

Some items we also use in our classroom that your children might enjoy.

 


20 Comments

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Previous Post: « Snowman and Santa Handmade Ornament Crafts for Kids!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Natasha Johnson-Ivy says

    January 6, 2016 at 8:37 am

    Now this is a nice experiment. I like that the kids get to observe in case I don’t want them to touch it and get shortening everywhere.

    Reply
  2. Cerys says

    January 6, 2016 at 11:35 am

    I love the use of the toys in this.

    Reply
  3. Theresa says

    January 6, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    What a fantastic experiment! We will be trying this at home. Pinning!

    Reply
  4. Nicolette says

    January 7, 2016 at 7:56 pm

    awesome science idea!

    Reply
  5. Jodie says

    January 8, 2016 at 6:55 am

    My kids will be so excited to do this science activity.

    Reply
  6. alecia says

    January 8, 2016 at 2:48 pm

    This looks like a lot of fun! We need another science activity for next week. Thanks for helping with last minute planning.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Arctic Animal Sensory Writing Tray - Fun-A-Day! says:
    January 6, 2016 at 5:30 am

    […] Arctic Animals Preschool Science:  Blubber and Ice Explorations! By The Preschool Toolbox Blog […]

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  2. Home-made Books: Tundra - Powerful Mothering says:
    January 6, 2016 at 6:34 am

    […] Arctic Animals Preschool Science:  Blubber and Ice Explorations! By The Preschool Toolbox Blog […]

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  3. Polar Bear Sound Activity - Growing Book by Book says:
    January 6, 2016 at 7:03 am

    […] Arctic Animals Preschool Science:  Blubber and Ice Explorations! By The Preschool Toolbox Blog […]

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    January 6, 2016 at 11:09 am

    […] Arctic Animals Preschool Science:  Blubber and Ice Explorations! By The Preschool Toolbox Blog […]

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    January 8, 2016 at 6:40 am

    […] Arctic Animals Preschool Science:  Blubber and Ice Explorations! By The Preschool Toolbox Blog […]

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  6. Arctic Animals Writing Prompts - The Educators' Spin On It (new) says:
    March 17, 2016 at 3:15 pm

    […] Animal Matching Games by Life Over C’sArctic Animals Preschool Science:  Blubber and Ice Explorations! By The Preschool Toolbox BlogScience Fun-Learning About the Woolly Bear Caterpillar by Capri + […]

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  7. Science Fun-Learning About the Woolly Bear Caterpillar says:
    May 12, 2017 at 9:01 am

    […] Animal Matching Games by Life Over C’sArctic Animals Preschool Science:  Blubber and Ice Explorations! By The Preschool Toolbox BlogScience Fun-Learning About the Woolly Bear Caterpillar by Capri + […]

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  8. Arctic Animal Matching Games - Life Over Cs says:
    December 27, 2017 at 11:16 am

    […] Arctic Animals Preschool Science:  Blubber and Ice Explorations! By The Preschool Toolbox Blog […]

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  9. 30+ Science Explorations to ENGAGE Preschoolers in ACTIVE Learning! • The Preschool Toolbox Blog says:
    February 4, 2018 at 1:46 pm

    […] Blubber and Ice  Animals that live in the Arctic region (Arctic Ocean, parts of Canada, Russia, Alaska, and some Nordic Countries) are known as Arctic animals.   Arctic animals have special adaptations that allow them to survive on the frozen tundra in this unique region of the world.  One of the special adaptations is BLUBBER.  Blubber is a thick fatty tissue just under the skin of many arctic animals such as seals, whales, and polar bears.  The fatty tissue not only keeps the animals warm in the extreme cold, but it serves as a fuel source when food is scarce.  To help preschoolers visualize the insulating properties of blubber, try the following simple science experiment! […]

    Reply
  10. Exciting Ways to Study Winter Nature in the Snow says:
    January 10, 2019 at 10:32 pm

    […] can experience how blubber keeps animals warm in the winter with these Blubber and Ice Explorations from The Preschool […]

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  11. Arctic Animals Rescue Fine Motor Activities - Stay at Home Educator says:
    January 17, 2019 at 6:48 am

    […] toddler gave up on the notion of freeing his arctic animal with the warm water and pipette, so he opted to pick up the iceberg and put it in his mouth. This […]

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  12. Ways to Play Every Day: FREE January Activity Calendar for Preschoolers • The Preschool Toolbox Blog says:
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  14. Snow Writing Tray for a Preschool Arctic Theme | Fun-A-Day! says:
    December 26, 2020 at 10:20 pm

    […] Arctic Animals Preschool Science:  Blubber and Ice Explorations! by The Preschool Toolbox Blog […]

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