Summary
If you hate getting out of bed when it’s freezing outside, you're not alone! Many animals hibernate to make it through the winter months. It's one of several adaptations that help animals survive cold weather! But there's a lot more to it than just snoozing until springtime. Hibernation is a state of dormancy, or reduced body activity. Body temperature and breathing go way down, lowering metabolism and allowing an animal to survive with far less energy. By using only its stored body fat, a hibernating animal can make it through the winter with little or no food! Most animals that hibernate are small, weighing less than 50 pounds. But what about bears? Well, it’s complicated. Click “play” to find out the facts on bears and hibernation. This is one movie you don't want to sleep through!
Viewer safety
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Hibernation:
- What is one new thing you learned about hibernation?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining hibernation.
- Draw or give one example of your own.