Grow Up Great
Note: Prior to the start of the lesson, fill eight resealable freezer bags with shortening. Use the duct tape to tape two bags together on three sides, creating a glove. Leave the fourth side open for the children to place their hand in between the two bags. Make four sets of these “blubber gloves”.
Many regions experience very cold weather in the winter. People cope with winter by wearing warmer clothing, including coats, hats, scarves, mittens, and boots. Many animals prepare for winter by eating all summer and fall to build up a layer of fat or blubber to protect them from the cold winter weather. In our experiment the shortening acted as blubber, or fat, to keep our hands warm.
Blubber is a thick layer of fat beneath the skin of marine animals. Blubber is found in animals such as whales, dolphins, porpoises, walruses, seals, manatees, and polar bears. Blubber acts like an insulator to protect these animals from the cold temperatures found in oceans and lakes during the winter. Other animals that live on land build up a layer of fat beneath the skin to protect them and give them energy during the cold winter months.
Many regions experience very cold weather in the winter. People cope with winter by wearing warmer clothing, including coats, hats, scarves, mittens, and boots. Many animals prepare for winter by eating all summer and fall to build up a layer of fat or blubber to protect them from the cold winter weather. In our experiment the shortening acted as blubber, or fat, to keep our hands warm.
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These lessons are aligned with the Common Core State Standards ("CCSS"). The CCSS provide a consistent, clear understanding of the concepts and skills children are expected to learn and guide teachers to provide their students with opportunities to gain these important skills and foundational knowledge.[2]
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There are currently no Common Core Standards for pre-k, but these lessons are aligned as closely as possible to capture the requirements and meet the goals of Common Core Standards. However, these lessons were neither reviewed or approved by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices or the Council of Chief State School Officers, which together are the owners and developers of the Common Core State Standards.
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