Bears
Prior to the
start of the unit send a note home to have students bring in a teddy bear that
can be used/stay at school for several days.
Throughout
the unit have a wide range of teddy bears available for various activities.
A story is
read each day during the class time. You can find a list of story ideas at the end
of the page.
Day
1
Vocabulary
bear, toy, real, teddy bear, paw, fur, brown, black, white, polar, forest.
Count the letters in the words. Put
the words in alphabetical order.
Discussion
- the students generate
information for a KWL chart (what they Know, what they Want to know, and what
they Learned) for the unit. Refer
back to the chart throughout the unit.
Activity
Using one of the teddy bears in the room, say the chant, have the teddy bear
complete the action:
Teddy
Bear, Teddy Bear
(do actions as rhyme indicates)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, reach up high.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the sky.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, bend down low,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your toe.
Day
2
Vocabulary
Sentence writing. Before class
prepare sentence strips, omit the vocabulary words.
Ex. The brown bear lives in
the forest. The _____
______ lives in the _______. Students
will use vocabulary words to complete the sentences.
Extension: Students write
the sentences on bear paper.
Cooking
Cinnamon
Bear Biscuits: Give each student an unbaked canned
biscuit and a small piece of aluminum foil with their name written on it.
Children will cut/tear the biscuit dough into 6 pieces and
form a bear's head, body, arms, and legs. Sprinkle the bear with cinnamon
and bake according to the package directions.
Activity
using the classroom bears, students will take turns hiding the bears.
Play the game youre getting warmer when they get closer to
the hiding spot.
Day
3
Vocabulary
match the vocabulary words with the word cards displayed around the room.
Discussion
- compile a list of Bear Facts
including what they like to eat, where they live, and how they get ready for the
winter.
Art
- Teddy Bear Faces
Supplies: tag board, wiggle eyes or large sequins, fur scraps, fabric, glue
Give each child a teddy bear head tag board cutout - (circle with two circular ear
shapes in appropriate place). Glue
on nose and mouth shapes and eyes. Use
wiggle eyes or large sequins for eyes. If
available glue on fur scraps or bear colored fabric. Attach thread to
the top so they hang up like a mobile.
Day
4
Vocabulary
write the vocabulary words on the bear paper.
Discussion
concept web write Famous Bears in the middle, on the spokes write the
names of Famous Bears.
Pooh
Berenstein Bears
Corduroy
Paddington
Smokey
Fozzie
Little Bear
Baloo
Bear in the Big Blue House
Yogi
BooBoo
Estimation
guess how many teddy grahams are in the container.
After all students have guessed, use the bears for graphing the different
kinds. Then eat and enjoy!
Day
5
Vocabulary
use magnetic letters to spell the vocabulary words
Movement
* Movement Activity
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, reach up high
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, wink one eye,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, slap your knees,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, sit down please.
Activity
Bears
in the Clouds
Fill a large garbage bag with foam packing pieces, call it a bag of
clouds. Using
the bears, pick 1 up at a time and have the students tell a sentence about the
bear. Tell
the students that the bear is going to hide in the clouds, drop the bear in!
Repeat for several bears.
Next the children will have to reach in, without looking try to identify
the bear that they found in the cloud!
Day
6
Vocabulary
play hangman with the vocabulary words.
Play the game as long as children show interest.
Art
bear mobile find a large assortment of bear pictures (magazine, clipart,
etc.); children cut out & glue to construction paper; tie lengths of yarn to
a paper plate that has been punched with several holes around the edge; add a
yarn hanger.
Cooking
- Teddy Bear Faces: Toast
bread, cut with a large circle cookie cutter, spread with peanut butter or you
can use a big round cookie. Use raisins and cheerios for facial features. Small
mini pretzels make great teddy bear ears.
Day
7
Vocabulary
word puzzles, write the words on bear shaped paper, cut apart, students
cooperate to put the puzzles together, read words when finished.
Art
1 lg. brown circle (8-10), 1 sm. brown circle (6-8), assorted scrap
construction paper, markers/crayons
Day
8
Vocabulary
put the vocabulary words in alphabetical order
Estimation
1.
put a variety of bear-shaped counters in a container.
Students guess how many are in the container. Take out and count.
2.
Put the bears back in the container. Students
guess what color they will take out. After
several turns put the bears back in the container.
3.
Guess what color has the most bears. Remember
the students have seen the groups of bears several times up to this point
observation skills!
4. Graph the bear counters by color.
Day
9
Vocabulary
write the words on bear shaped paper.
Activity
- Hide N Seek Bears - Before the children go outside, hide their bears all over
the play equipment. When all of the bears have been found, let the children who
want to continue the game take turns hiding the bears.
Discussion
Where did you find a bear?
Who found the bear on the top of the slide? What
color bear was hiding under the swing?, etc.
Day
10
Vocabulary hide the vocabulary words around the room. Children search for the words, then say the word they found.
Activity
Weighing the bears
Use a balance scale (or make one out of a thin board with a whipped
topping container attached to each end.
Place over a triangle piece of wood.
Adjust to balance. Or use a coat hanger and attach the bears to the
ends.)
Students will use the classroom bear collection to explore the weights of
the various bears/bear pairs, etc.
Cooking
Bear toast toast bread; spread with butter; sprinkle with sugar and
cinnamon; cut out bear shape with cookie cutter; talk about the shape that is
left in the crust of the toast, etc.
Bear Books:
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears by J.A. Dyer, as well as many other versions
Corduroy by Don Freeman
A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman
Bear Shadow by Frank Asch
Mooncake by Frank Asch
The Berenstain Bears by Jan and Stan Berenstain (lots of titles!)
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
Alphabears: An ABC Book by Kathleen Hague
Bedtime for Bears by Adelaide Holl
The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. MilneI Lost My Bear by Jules Feiffer
Wheres My Teddy? By Jez Alborough
Blueberries For Sal
Jamberry
Little Bear by Else H. Minarik
Bear Links:
http://www.scz.org/animals/bears.html - bear fact page
http://www.bears-bears.org/index.htm - lots of bear pictures and facts
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Fields/7444/little_bear_links.htm