Our third trimester is well on it’s way and we have started exploring our first world biome. Over the past week, first graders have been learning about the Tundra. It is one of the coldest biomes in the world and it makes up about one fifth of the land on earth. Tundras are located in the northern part of the world, located throughout Canada, USA, Greenland, Russia, Sweden, and Finland. The two types of tundra include the Arctic and the Alpine. We have been learning about the animal and plant life in the tundra and the special adaptations the plants and animals have to make.
Because the temperatures are frigid, the plants grow low to the ground to avoid wind exposure and trees cannot grow due to permafrost and lack of sunny days. We also talked about the adaptations animals make and how they survive in the cold. One way that animals in the Arctic tundra stay warm is with an extra layer of fat called blubber. Blubber is found directly under the skin and is used to insulate their bodies.
To see just how warm blubber is, first grade students conducted an experiment using “blubber” (shortening or cooking fat) to see if it would keep their hand warm in freezing, cold water. We were shocked at the results and had lots of fun testing out our predictions! Be sure to find the picture of your kiddo below!
