Hot Paws, Cold Paws
Animals are adapted to living in certain places. In this activity, students will examine one part of an animal’s body – its paw – to see how an animal would survive in a cold or hot habitat. Materials
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Large Ziploc bags (two bags per Blubber Glove)
Crisco (1 cup per Blubber Glove)
Two large bowls
One small bowl
Water
Ice
Paintbrushes
Heat lamps
Duct tape
Fuzzy white mittens
Preparation
Ahead of time, prepare the Hot Habitat, the Cold Habitat, and the types of “paws”. To represent the polar bear, create Blubber Gloves by using two Ziploc bags and some Crisco. Scoop about one cup of Crisco into one of the bags, and then insert the second bag into the Crisco‐filled bag. Make sure to insert the second bag inside‐out, allowing for the edges of the two bags to zip up with each other. This creates a glove‐like structure, and ensures students do not actually need to touch the Crisco! Repeat at least once more to create a second glove. Next, set aside two large bowls and fill both with ice water. Place one of the Blubber Glove at this station of bowls. If more than two Blubber Gloves were made, feel free to place more around the bowls of ice water. Place the fuzzy mittens, along with a small bowl of water and some paintbrushes at a different station. At this second station, turn on some heat lamps. Directions
Introduce students to the idea that animals need different things to survive in different places. Get students to guess what adaptations (behaviors or physical traits) that an animal might need to survive somewhere COLD. Now come up with ideas of what an animal might need to survive somewhere HOT. Talk about where polar bears live (the cold Arctic) and where kangaroos live (hot deserts). Next, split the class in half. Half of the students can go to the Cold Habitat, and half to the Hot Habitat. It will be helpful to have an adult at each station to supervise. If only one adult is available, it is recommended to have the full class only do one station at a time. Cold Habitat
Here, Students will first try out their “Kangaroo paw” – that means, just their bare skin. Have them reach into the ice water with one hand (note: optional to have students put an empty Ziploc bag over their hand, duct‐taped around their wrist, if wishing to avoid students sharing water). Then remove that hand from the ice water. Get students to then try out their “Polar Bear paw”. Have students place one hand into the Blubber Glove (optional to duct tape it shut around their wrist, careful to only use the duct tape on the bag, and not the student’s skin). Then dunk that gloved hand into the ice water. COLD HABITAT QUESTIONS:
 How does the “Polar Bear paw” feel in comparison to the “Kangaroo paw” in the Cold Habitat?  Why is the Blubber Glove keeping you warmer?  Would kangaroos survive well in the cold Arctic? Hot Habitat
Here, students will first try out the “Polar Bear paw”. In this experiment, since no water is involved, the “Polar Bear paw” will be in the form of thick gloves or mittens. Have students slip on a glove or mitten, and hold that hand under the light. After several moments, have the student remove the glove or mitten, and try their “Kangaroo paw” instead. For the “Kangaroo paw”, have the students place one bare hand under the light, palm up. In the wild, real kangaroos cover their forearms and wrists with saliva to help keep cool. To replicate this, students should use a paintbrush dipped in water to paint water onto the underside of their wrists (where you can see veins). HOT HABITAT QUESTIONS:
 How does the “Kangaroo paw” feel in comparison to the “Polar Bear paw” in the Hot Habitat?  After adding water to your wrist, did you feel hotter or cooler?  Would polar bears survive well in a hot desert or savanna? Wrap up these experiments by having students discuss why it would be difficult for an animal to survive if it had to live someplace other than its natural habitat.