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Hibernation and Dormancy

Hibernation and Dormancy

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to identify factors in the environment, including temperature and precipitation that affect growth and behavior such as migration, hibernation, and dormancy of living things.

Essential Understanding

The student knows that living organisms have basic needs that must be met for them to survive within their environment.

Science Background

Dormancy: Wikipedia (website) - Explanation of dormancy, accompanied by short descriptions of the dormancy strategies of different animals and plants.

Dormancy
Wikipedia, wikipedia.org

Hibernation: Wikipedia (website) - General explanation of hibernation, along a description of hibernation processes in mammals, birds and fish.

Hibernation
Wikipedia, wikipedia.org

How Do Frogs Survive Winter? Scientific American (website) - Explanation of the amazing strategies used by frogs—including the development of internal “anti-freeze”—to survive extreme climates and conditions.

How Do Frogs Survive Winter?
Scientific American, www.scientificamerican.com

Signature Lesson

A Fat Bear is a Healthy Bear! North American Bear Center (PDF) - During a series of activities, students learn that food is a basic need of survival, and that hibernation is an adaptation that allows black bears to survive while their natural food sources are unavailable. Through hands-on lessons and role-playing, students learn how bears prepare for hibernation and why this preparation is necessary. Includes extension activities and student sheets.

A Fat Bear is a Healthy Bear!
North American Bear Center, www.bear.org

Supporting Lessons

Get Ready to Hibernate! Migrate! or Get Fat! WNET Educational Initiatives (website) - Through a series of activities, students learn about hibernation and migration, and about the preparation needed by hibernating and migratory animals to survive during the winter months.

Get Ready to Hibernate! Migrate! or Get Fat!
WNET Educational Initiatives, www.thirteen.org

 

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Create a Hibernating Bear Den: Education.com (website) - Students learn about bears and hibernation by creating their own dens in the classroom.

Create a Hibernating Bear Den
by Sarah Lipoff, Education.com

Get Ready to Hibernate! Migrate! or Get Fat! WNET Educational Initiatives (website) - Through a series of activities, students learn about hibernation and migration, and about the preparation needed by hibernating and migratory animals to survive during the winter months.

Get Ready to Hibernate! Migrate! or Get Fat!
WNET Educational Initiatives, www.thirteen.org

Assessment Ideas

Hibernation: Super Teacher Worksheets (PDF) - Assess your students’ understanding of hibernation by having them complete the worksheet accompanying this brief reading passage.

Hibernation
Super Teacher Worksheets, www.superteacherworksheets.com

Literature Connections

Every Autumn Comes the Bear. Arnosky, Jim (ISBN-13: 978-0698114050)

Bear Snores On. Wilson, Karma (ISBN-13: 978-1599614878)

Hibernation. Kosara, Tori (ISBN-13: 978-0545365826)

Animals Hibernating: How Animals Survive Extreme Conditions. Hickman, Pamela (ISBN-13: 978-1553376637)

Animals That Hibernate. Brimner, Larry Dane (ISBN-13: 978-0531200186)

Do Not Disturb: Mysteries of Animal Hibernation and Sleep. Facklam, M (ISBN-13: 9780316273794)

Related Science TEKS

(2.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to identify and demonstrate safe practices as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations, including wearing safety goggles, washing hands, and using materials appropriately.

(2.1B) Importance of Safe Practices
The student is expected to describe the importance of safe practices.

(2.2A) Ask Questions
The student is expected to ask questions about organisms, objects, and events during observations and investigations.

(2.2B) Plan and Conduct Descriptive Investigation
The student is expected to plan and conduct descriptive investigations such as how organisms grow.

(2.2C) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect data from observations using simple equipment such as hand lenses, primary balances, thermometers, and non-standard measurement tools.

(2.2D) Record and Organize Data & Observations
The student is expected to record and organize data using pictures, numbers, and words.

(2.2E) Communicate and Justify Explanations
The student is expected to communicate observations and justify explanations using student-generated data from simple descriptive investigations.

(2.2F) Comparing Results of Investigations
The student is expected to compare results of investigations with what students and scientists know about the world.

(2.3A) Identify, Explain and Propose a Solution to a Problem
The student is expected to identify and explain a problem in his/her own words and propose a task and solution for the problem such as lack of water in a habitat.

(2.3B) Make Predictions
The student is expected to make predictions based on observable patterns.

(2.3C) Explore Scientists
The student is expected to identify what a scientist is and explore what different scientists do.

(2.4A) Tools for Collecting and Analyzing Information
The student is expected to collect, record, and compare information using tools, including computers, hand lenses, rulers, primary balances, plastic beakers, magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, and safety goggles; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches; weather instruments such as thermometers, wind vanes, and rain gauges; and materials to support observations of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

Related Math TEKS

2.11B   The student is expected to draw conclusions and answer questions based on picture graphs and bar-type graphs.

2.12C   The student is expected to select or develop an appropriate problem-solving plan or strategy including drawing a picture, looking for a pattern, systematic guessing and checking, or acting it out in order to solve a problem.

2.13A  The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Additional Resources

Lesson Plans and Activities: North American Bear Center (website) - Links to free downloadable lessons, adaptable to a variety of grade levels, that include hands-on investigations, cooperative learning, songs, art, games and dramatizations. Additional links to information and resources related to bears.

Lesson Plans and Activities
North American Bear Center, www.bear.org

Hibernation, Sleeping for Survival: Springboard Magazine (website) - During the winter months, some animals enter a deep sleep; others take breaks from their slumber. In all hibernating animals, their body temperature drops, and their heartbeat and breathing slows down to conserve energy. This article explains the basics of hibernation among different animals.

Hibernation, Sleeping for Survival
Springboard Magazine, www.springboardmagazine.com

Hibernation: Brain Pop Jr. (website) - Various free lessons, skits, games, poems and other activity ideas to teach the basics of hibernation and dormancy.

Hibernation
Brain Pop, www.brainpop.com

Hibernation Lesson Plan: Think Quest (website) - Use music and art to teach the concept of hibernation and basic facts about hibernating animals.

Hibernation Lesson Plan
Think Quest, library.thinkquest.org

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