How Do Animals Stay Warm?

Today we had the pleasure of learning a great science lesson from Mr. Prazar! He joined us this afternoon to teach us all about animal adaptations, in particular how animals survive in the cold. Students built "animals" by wrapping different types of insulation (fur, feathers, "fat") around water bottles, and we tested to see which kept water the warmest in our chilly winter weather. We learned that the more food energy an animal gets, the more insulation the animal can create to keep itself warm. This also means it must keep eating enough food!

The big green numbers are the "energy units" the animal could produce by eating, which meant how much insulation it could create. The "polar bear" had the most insulation (fur and lots of blubber) and kept the water the warmest!

After, we discussed different ways local animals survive our cold weather. I learned something very cool about how wood frogs survive the winter. Ask your students what they learned! Sincerely, Mr. Kilham