How do polar bears adapt to cold water?

We went to the Wonder Room today to find out the answer to the question, "How do polar bears adapt to cold water?".

First, we watched a video of a polar bear swimming in freezing cold water. 

Click on the link:

http://www.arkive.org/polar-bear/ursus-maritimus/video-00.html#video-06f.html

Next, the students experienced what it would feel like If they swam in cold water and how the polar bear would feel.
 

Blubber Experiment

2 buckets of ice water

1 insulated bag 1of shortening

The students placed one bare hand in a bucket of ice water and one hand with the 'blubber bags'. 

Mrs. Skinner even joined in on the fun! 

After the experiment we discussed what we learned from our time in the Wonder Room.