This week's focus is:

Activity 1 - Discover the Arctic and the Antarctic

First, join Andy as he explores the North and South Pole by clicking the link below:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/bring-the-noise/andys-raps-polar-party/zn9fmfr/

Some things you might want to talk about after watching the videos:

Who lives in the Arctic? Who lives in the Antarctic?

Could Polar Bears and Penguins ever be friends?

What is the same about the North and South Poles? What is different?

CHALLENGE: sort the animals based on where they live

A printable version is below: 
(You could hide the larger pictures around the house and go on a polar hunt)

Activity 2 - Make a habitat for a polar animal

The ice in the North and South Pole is melting! Can you build a new home for a polar bear or a penguin?

Use any materials from around the house. You could use cardboard, cotton wool, flour, tin foil and fabrics. You could use natural materials such as stones or ice. Be as creative as you can.

Check out some ideas below.

Some questions for grown ups to ask while building:

Activity 3 - Science Experiment - Why do polar animals stay warm?

You will need:

• Bowl full of ice water
• Lard or butter
• Glove
• Towel/Kitchen roll for easy clean up

1. First, place your bare hands in the ice water. Count how many seconds you can leave you hands in before it was too uncomfortable. (I managed 10 seconds! Can you manage more or less than me?)

2. Next, put on a wooly glove. You can hold an ice cube and your hand won't get too cold. If you put your hand in the icy water with your glove on it still gets very cold. You could count again how long you can keep your hand in the water. 

The glove is like the fur of an animal, when it is kept dry it keeps them warm.

3. Then, coat one finger with a thick layer of lard or butter to simulate blubber.
Some animals only have a couple of inches of blubber covering their bodies, while some large whales can have a layer of blubber over a foot thick! It’s no wonder these Arctic animals stay warm!

4. Finally, put your covered finger in the ice water. Count how many seconds you can leave you hands in before it was too uncomfortable. (I managed 1 minute! Can you manage more or less than me?) 

Polar animals have a layer of fat called blubber that keeps them warm whether they stay dry or get wet!

If you have no lard or butter try the experiment below:

https://nurturestore.co.uk/frozen-ice-sensory-play-ideas-ice-excavation

Activity 4 - Polar Region themed craft activities

Use a drinks bottle, cotton balls, googly eyes and card or felt to create your very own pet penguin!

OR

Have a go at some printing. You could use different sized potatoes to create a penguin. Or get really messy and use your hands and feet. 
Can you use pens, pencils or crayons to add extra detail?

OR

How many pretty snowflakes can you make using cotton buds, lolly sticks, cotton wool and sequins?

Activity 5 - Let's Get Active

Don't forget to send pictures and videos of all the fun you have at home to
earlyyears@hawbush.dudley.sch.uk