| Learning Objectives/Lesson Goals | Students will learn about 3 kinds of pinnipeds: eared seals, earless seals, & walruses. Students will learn that ringed seals dig lairs under the snow as a place to give birth to their young. Students will make a pop-up seal pup. |
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| WHERE | Classroom |
| WHO | Classroom Volunteers |
| MATERIALS | - Know-It-Alls! Seals! book written by Ellen Catala
one set per student:
- 6” x 8” white construction paper
- One white cotton ball
- 8 ½’ x 11’ photo copy paper
for group:
- Colored chalk
- Glue
- Staplers
- Black sharpie
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| ACTIVITIES | - Read the book Know-It-Alls! Seals! by Ellen Catala and discuss.
- Discuss the three main kinds of seals: eared seals, earless seals, and walruses.
- Discuss the anatomy of the three kinds of seals. Pretend to move like them.
- Show these pictures of ringed seals. Discuss how ringed seals protect their young from cold weather and predators by building lairs under snow drifts. Female ringed seals give birth in March or April, usually to one pup. The pup stays in the lair for about 6 weeks, drinking mother’s milk and growing stronger. The pup lives on its own after about 2 months; able to swim and catch small fish.
- Make a Pop-Up Seal Pup. Distribute a sheet of white construction paper to each student. Have students fold paper in half so that the two short ends meet. Staple it together on the sides. Leave the end opposite the fold open.
- Have students rip small semi-circle pieces off the top one half inch of their papers (open end) to give the effect of snow drifts. Students may rip one layer at a time. Save paper scraps.
- Have students tear a small door in the top paper layer, close to the fold, so that the door swings open and shut. This will expose the lair.
- To make more snow drift images, tear a “wave” pattern along an edge of the photocopy paper. Lay the torn paper pattern on top of the white construction paper. Rub the flat side of the chalk over the paper-edge pattern so that the reverse image shows on the construction paper. Move the torn photocopy paper as needed to create overlapping snow drifts.
- Place three or four staples around the lair opening (be careful not to staple door shut). Use scraps of paper to stuff the insides of the construction paper envelope. Staple top shut.
- Distribute cotton balls and black sharpies. Glue cotton ball in lair opening. Use black sharpies on cotton ball to make eyes and nose.
- If time permits, students can work on Pinniped worksheets.
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| Adapted from Sea World’s Arctic Animals K-3 Teacher’s Guide |
