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======Polar Bear Blubber Adaptations======


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/* GREY BOX INFORMATION - Required                                                                     */
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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
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**Alternative titles:** 
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====Summary====                   
{{$demo.summary}}


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/* PROCEDURE - Optional                                                                                */
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====Procedure====  
  - Fill a large bowl or container with ice and water. Add food coloring if desired.  
  - Have students briefly place a bare hand in the ice water to feel how cold it is. Remove the hand quickly.  
  - Fill one plastic bag with vegetable shortening.  
  - Place a second bag inside the shortening-filled bag so that a hand can fit inside. Seal the tops securely with duct tape to prevent leaks.  
  - Put one hand in the blubber glove and the other hand in a plain bag (no shortening).  
  - Submerge both hands in the ice water and compare how cold each hand feels.  
  - Discuss observations and relate them to how polar bears survive in the Arctic.


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====Links==== 
Polar Bear Adaptations Activity - Ocean First Institute: 
{{youtube>HF3riTO0gTc?}}\\
📄 Polar Bear Blubber Experiment - Sarah McClelland : [[https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/winter-polar-bear-blubber-science-experiment/]]\\


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====Variations====
  * Test different insulating materials such as cotton balls, feathers, packing peanuts, or sand.
  * Relate this experiment to other animals like whales or seals that also use blubber.


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====Safety Precautions====
  * Do not leave hands in ice water for extended periods to avoid discomfort or injury.  
  * Seal bags tightly to prevent leaks and slipping.  
  * Clean up any spills of shortening immediately to avoid a mess.  
  * Wash hands thoroughly after the experiment.


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====Questions to Consider====
  * Why does the hand in the shortening-filled bag feel warmer than the bare hand?  
  * How does blubber compare to clothing in keeping heat in?  
  * What other adaptations besides blubber help polar bears stay warm in the Arctic?  
  * Why might polar bears need thick blubber even in summer?  
  * Could other materials (like fur or feathers) work as well as blubber for insulation?


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/* DEMONSTRATION INFORMATION - Required                                                                */
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