Handout
Sheppard Software

Sheppard Software: Polar Bears

For Students 9th - 10th
This site gives an in-depth description of a polar bear, including its behavior, appearance, reproduction, and classification. The site includes photos and illustrations and an interactive quiz to test your understanding.
Handout
Other

Ursus International Conservation Institute: Polar Bears

For Students 9th - 10th
Read an in-depth description of polar bears. Includes numerous images.
Article
Other

Animal Planet: Top 10 Animal Moms: Polar Bears

For Students Pre-K - 1st
This article describes the mother polar bear's pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. She is number four of the top10 animal moms.
Website
Other

Polar Bears International: The Bear Facts

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Polar Bears International, dedicated to the worldwide conservation of the polar bear and its arctic habitat, provides extensive information about the polar bear. Content includes polar bear I.Q., hibernation facts,...
Handout
San Diego Zoo Global

San Diego Zoo: Polar Bears

For Students 9th - 10th
Listen to a roar (with RealPlayer) and learn about the lives of polar bears. [0:52]
Handout
Encyclopedia of Life

Encyclopedia of Life: Polar Bear

For Students 9th - 10th
Extensive resource investigates the polar bear with a description, pictures, and maps. Includes facts on biology, history, behavior, conservation, distribution, habitat, and external links.
Activity
World Wildlife Fund for Nature

Wwf: Polar Bear Tracker

For Students 9th - 10th
World Wildlife Fund site which details and tracks the movement of Polar Bears. This site has links to information about Polar Bears, where they're located, information about the WWF, and risk factors for Polar Bears.
Interactive
National Geographic Kids

National Geographic Kids: Animals: Polar Bears

For Students 3rd - 8th
National Geographic offers this great site to help you explore a polar bear's world. Facts, video, audio, map and a postcard to send to your friends. Requires RealPlayer for audio and video features.
Handout
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Ice Stories: Polar Bears

For Students 9th - 10th
Comprehensive information about polar bears including facts about their habitat and characteristics. Features photos and links to related resources.
Handout
Other

Explore North: All About Polar Bears

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides an overview of polar bears in the arctic. The content includes a look at polar bear habitat, population, diet, and more. Several photographs of polar bears are also included.
Handout
Sea World Parks & Entertainment

Sea World: Polar Bears

For Students 9th - 10th
Outlines the characteristics of the polar bear, including classification, habitat, behaviors, and conservation. Helps students identify with polar bears with a list of "Books for Young Readers." Information at a level of upper...
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: Arctic Studies Center: Polar Bear

For Students 9th - 10th
The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, in a section titled "North American Mammals," offers a general overview of the polar bear. Additional content includes detailed drawings, photographs, and a map showing the polar bear's...
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian National Zoo: Zoogoer Magazine: Disappearing by Degrees

For Students 9th - 10th
Mary-Russell Roberson's article, "Disappearing by Degrees," highlights the problems with maintaining the current polar bear population. The article discusses how the current temperature and weather conditions also affect polar bear...
Website
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian National Zoo: Zoogoer Magazine: The Bears Among Us

For Students 9th - 10th
This article focuses on a variety of bears (American black bears, brown bears (including grizzlies), and polar bears). The largest focus in the article is on conservation efforts on behalf of bears.
Handout
Other

Scott Polar Research Institute: Polar Bears

For Students 3rd - 8th
Here you can learn about polar bears: where they live, what they eat, and what each part of their body is adapted for.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: The Heat Is On

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This passage gives information about global warming and its threat to the polar bears in the Arctic. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and...
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: The Cutest Animal Finalists

For Teachers 1st - 3rd Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] This passage shares the information about animals that students have voted as being "the cutest" in a Weekly Reader contest. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential...
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Where Will I Live?

For Teachers 2nd
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text that asks the reader to make predictions about how habitat changes affect endangered animals. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: A Polar Bear Grows Up

For Teachers 1st - 3rd Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] This informational text passage gives a brief explanatin of the life cycle of the polar bear. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and...
Lesson Plan
Discovery Education

Discovery Education: Bears Lesson Plan

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This lesson plan explores how polar bears survive in areas near the North Pole.
Article
Animal Fact Guide

Animal Fact Guide: Polar Bear

For Students 3rd - 8th
Guidebook entry on the polar bear features information on its physical characteristics, habitat (with a distribution map), diet, breeding patterns, unique traits and behavior, conservation status, and tips on what you can do to help.
Activity
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: Arctic Story Puzzles

For Students 3rd - 8th
Construct a story about the Inuit or the polar bear from a series of pictures that can be put together in a sequence.
Article
National Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife: The Incredible Shrinking Polar Bears

For Students 9th - 10th
This article, published by National Wildlife Magazine (February/March 2004 issue), offers an insightful look into the life of the polar bears of Canada's Hudson Bay. The article looks at why these bears are losing weight and bearing...
Handout
BBC

Bbc Science & Nature: Polar Bear (Ursus Maritimus)

For Students 9th - 10th
The BBC provides a general profile of polar bears, detailing information about their distribution, habitat, diet, behavior, reproduction, and conservation status. Numerous pictures and a video are also available.