Non-Fiction Monday: All About Polar Bears

This week's theme is Polar Bears! I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed coming up with the resources for you!

Gibbons, Gail.
Polar Bears.
2001.
Holiday House.
Guided Reading Level: O
Review copy borrowed from local library.

As usual, Gail Gibbons doesn't disappoint in this title! Children are sure to love all of the knowledge they'll gain about Polar Bears and are likely to be quizzing you for days about polar bear facts! A majority of the book focuses on how a polar bear survives in the Arctic. However, there is a bit of relevant information about the declining polar bear population. Overall, this is a great introductory book to a polar bear themed unit!

Learning/Reading Activity

• I created a polar bear anatomy worksheet to coincide with this book that will help children become familiar with polar bears and the ways in which their body has adapted to be of the most benefit in the Arctic region. The worksheet can be downloaded here!
  

Thomson, Sarah L.
Where Do Polar Bears Live?
December 2009.
HarperCollins Publishers.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Another great book about polar bears for non-fiction Monday is Sarah L. Thomson's latest, Where Do Polar Bears Live? Not only does it address that question, but many others as well. It's perfect for young children who want to know the basics without tons of details. Perhaps, this book would be the ideal way to start a polar bear unit, as it is basic, and would be engaging enough to have children begin coming up with additional questions that they'd like to have answered about polar bears. I also enjoyed that the book makes notice of how the recent trend in global warming has had such a significant effect on the Arctic polar bears. Definitely one I'll be flagging for Earth Day and Polar Bear units!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Take the opportunity during this unit to show your children that even someone as small as them can make a difference in the world. Adopt a Polar Bear and do your part to help save endangered wildlife! While the first donations that appear on the website appear quite hefty in price, there are more reasonable ones as you scroll down!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!