Resources for International Polar Bear Day

International Polar Bear Day is an annual event celebrated worldwide on February 27th. Organised by Polar Bears International (PBI), the day aims to raise awareness of the challenges polar bears face: habitat loss, climate change and the extreme nature of the Arctic as the home of the polar bears. 

Polar bears are fantastic animals to discuss as they hold a certain allure over pupils and adults alike: they live in faraway habitats, they survive in extreme, icy conditions, and they are physically impressive in their size and stature. Below, we’ve included key facts about polar bears you can share, along with links to our key units on adaptation, ecosystems and environmental conservation. 

Key facts about Polar Bears  

• Scientific name: Ursus maritimus
• Habitat: Arctic sea ice and hunting mainly on seals.
• Adaptations: Thick fur and a layer of fat keep them warm, with large paws help them swim and walk on ice.
• Conservation: Polar bears are classified as vulnerable due to melting sea ice from climate change. 

Classroom activities 

Science activity: Polar bear adaptations 

Provide pupils with pictures, models or toy polar bears and materials such as paper, foil, scraps of fabric or crafting items. Ask them to create a ‘polar bear coat’ to keep a small toy bear warm. Through this, pupils can explore how thick fur and insulation help polar bears to survive in extreme cold. They could test different materials, thinking about their own winter clothing and what they would choose to wear if they were in the Arctic. 

Geography activity: Arctic habitat diorama 

For this activity, pupils could use shoeboxes or trays to build a 3D Arctic habitat. Encourage them to include icebergs (made from scrunched-up paper), water (blue paper or tissue) and land features. This helps pupils to observe different landscapes and habitats. 

Curriculum links and resources 

Our curriculum-aligned resources from EYFS to KS2 contain plenty of teaching materials to use on Polar Bear Day. Here are some quick links to our top picks: 

• Year 2: Living things and their habitats - Habitats around the world. This KS1 unit explores what habitats are before moving on to look at worldwide habitats. A dedicated lesson on the Arctic and Antarctic is included.
• Year 6: Looking after our environment. This KS2 unit is designed to meet the DfE’s climate and sustainability criteria - within it, we’ve got six lessons on climate change, energy use and what’s happening to the planet. 
• EYFS: All around the world. This EYFS unit contains a dedicated lesson titled ‘Where in the world is it cold?’. For really young pupils, who may not have heard about the Arctic yet, this would be a great place to start. 
• Year 3: Biomes. With a whole lesson explicitly on tundra, this is a great option for a habitat-focused lesson. 

All of Developing Experts’ resources and online lessons can be accessed for free during a two-week trial. To start using our resources on Polar Bear Day and beyond, sign up your school for a free trial today. 

You can also reach out to [email protected] – we’d be delighted to answer any questions you may have.