The Three Bears: A Unit Study

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Once Upon a Time there were Three Bears.

There are the three bears that Goldilocks encountered but in Alaska there are also three types of real bears.

(Ok, Four if you count the Kodiak but it fits the tale better to combine the Kodiak with the Brown or Grizzly Bears.)

The three best known bears are all found in Alaska. Polar Bears, of course, live near the north pole. Grizzly or Brown Bears live further south along river and streams and Black Bears live in the Forests.

You can use the Fairy Tale bears and the real Alaskan bears to teach a Unit Study that will get your children mixing up the porridge of math and science with the Bear Hugs of reading and writing. Snuggle into the Bear's Den and find out all about the bears...

The Three Bears Unit Study 

Studying The Three Bears

Children love the story of The Three Bears. Usually they know the story before coming to school and are delighted to start a unit on something they already know quite a bit about.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears




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Most children have their own Teddy Bears. I invite the children to bring them in for Morning Meeting. Each child gets to introduce their bear and explain how they picked it's name. We then use the bears in various activities throughout the day such as putting them in order from smallest to biggest, sorting by colors, or writing them letters.

Three Polar Bears

Children often don't know as much about the real bears but are eager to learn. We draw life sized silhouettes of each kind of bear and measure them. We compare and contrast the habitats that the bears live in. We write new versions of The Three Bear's story to reflect the three different kinds of bears for example Goldilocks becomes an Eskimo and the Three Polar Bears live in an Igloo. Their porridge is made from fish soup and they sleep on seals skins.

Alaska's Three Bears 

The Three Bears of Alaska

This is the first book I read about Alaska's three bears and it is a wonderful read aloud with lots of illustrations to help bring out questions for your brainstorming chart when you start the unit.

I like to write the questions on separate sheets of three ring notebook paper. As we find answers we write them on other sheets and add them behind the answers. Towards the end of the unit we learn how to rearrange and edit our book and then publish it. Once published we add a stuffed bear and a couple of games and we now can use it as a Literacy Bag to take home and share with parents.

Alaska's Three Bears (Last Wilderness Adventure)

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Black Bears 

Black Bears

Black Bears live over most of North America and are becoming more and more used to humans. They now raid bird feeders and sightings of bears are becoming quite common.

If you encounter a bear you should make lots of noise and not run. Pepper spray can be effective if you are confronted with an aggressive bear.

Generally bears are not interested in harming humans and are of no threat.
Black Bear - Defenders of Wildlife
A fact sheet about black bears. Black bears are endangered in Florida, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.

Every Autumn Comes the Bear 

Knowing that winter is coming, a huge, black bear appears in the wooded hill behind a farm, searching for a resting place.

Notice all the other animals the bear encounters along the way. This would be a good story to make into a flannel board center. Copies of each of the animals could be cut out and glued onto felt. Children could retell the story as they attach the animals.

The animals could be labeled or separate words could be used to match with the animals. In this case I would write the words on the backs of the animals for self checking.

Every Autumn Comes the Bear

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Brown Bears 

Brown Bears
Brown Bear: Wildlife Notebook Series - Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Brown bear species description for the Alaska Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series.

The Craigheads study the Grizzlies 

John and Frank CraigheadGrizzly Bears

Photo Credit: Grizzly Bear Cubs
on Flickr, Creative Commons.



John and Frank Craighead were the first to use radio collars to track large mammals, a technique that opened new windows into grizzlies' habits. For the first time, their dens could be found, and the Craigheads burrowed right in with them.

Grizzly Bear Den

They found that most grizzlies do not occupy natural cavities in the ground, but instead excavate their dens into the ground surface

Track of the Grizzly

Over a period of thirteen years, beginning in 1959, Frank Craighead, his brother John, and their colleagues lived in the backcountry close to their subjects. Combining firsthand knowledge of the bears and their habitat with radio-tracking and other scientific techniques, they tracked hundreds of grizzlies to discover their social organization and seasonal movements, their breeding and feeding habits, and their life spans.
This fascinating, seminal book provides an intimate and detailed portrait of the greatest carnivore in our hemisphere, a lesson in wildlife mismanagement, and a close-up look at the life and work of wildlife biologists in the field.

Amazon Price: (as of 12/04/2009) Buy Now

Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you see? 

Small Talk

Small Talk
Saunders, Tyler
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Pretend that you are a Grizzly Bear looking out of your den. What do you see? Use the format of Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you see to write your own story of what a Grizzly Bear in Alaska might see when looking out of it's den.

Father Bear's Surprise 

Father Bear's Surprise

Baby Bear is bored waiting for spring so Father Bear brings home a train set.

This is a beginning reader book which 1st Graders should be able to read by the end of the year.

It would work well as an introduction to hibernation.

Polar Bears 

White Bears
Polar Bears International - Polar Bear Conservation Through Research and Education
Tons of educational polar bear information and research, gorgeous polar bear photos, and a huge polar bear FAQ file from an organization dedicated to saving polar bears.
Black oil, white bears and the color of money
As the global warming debate rages, Harry Fuller and Heather Clancy chronicle alternative energy start-ups, green data center projects and other high-tech and political developments shaping the green technology movement.

Polar Bear, Polar Bear What do you hear? 

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? (Brown Bear and Friends)

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Alaska has Three Bears 

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears 

The Three Bears

The Three Bears

We love to read lots of versions of The Three Bears. One day we made porridge and graphed those who liked it and which kind of berries they liked it with.

The Three Bears1. Make paper bowls and write names on the bowls.
2. Make and eat oatmeal with blueberries, strawberries or blackberries.
3. Children paste either cutout pictures of blueberries, strawberries or blackberries on their paper oatmeal.
4. Children attach their paper bowls to the graph under the correct berry heading.

The Three Bears Reading Nook 

Reading Nook

If you have already made an igloo from doing the Lemming Arctic Study unit it is easy to turn it into a Bear's Den by covering it with a brown blanket. Look for more ideas in the River Otter/a> and Woodchuck Units.

Having a good assortment of stuffed bears is ideal for any classroom. The children love to have Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear in the reading nook to snuggle with and read stories to.

The Three Bears Sensory Table 

Snow in the Rice Table

Fill the rice table with snow, or, failing that, shaved ice. Add a pool of water and some ice cubes for icebergs. Add plastic animals such as polar bears and leopard seals for a fun biology game.

Three Bowls of Porridge 

Who's Been Eating My Porridge?

who's been eating my porridge?

Though I have always made The Three Bears' porridge using oatmeal, Maple Syrup, cinnamon and milk, this cookbook makes it out of potatoes, milk and an onions.

The Three Chairs 

Who's been sitting in my chair?

Who's been sitting in my chair?

Each Bear has his or her own unique chair. These chairs are great for sitting in, reading, or reenacting the story of The Three Bears.

Have the children look for pictures of chairs in catalogs or on-line and use them to make Venn graphs, sorting activities or to illustrate Adjectives.

The Three Beds 

Who's been sleeping in my bed?

Three Bears Beds

These dog beds come in small, medium and large and would be perfect for reenacting the story of The Three Bears.

The wooden carved bear beds would be great for when you are ready to go all out and turn your home into a Bear's Cottage.

Poems and Songs about Bears 

Singing about The Three Bears

Singing Bear

Songs and poems are ideal for teaching reading. Copy them onto poster board large enough for all the children to see. Use pointers to help the children follow along.

The bears go in,
They sleep a lot,
The bears come out
And they give a shout!

Yeah Bears!

Hurray it's spring!
No time for sleep.
The bears wake up.
Their sleep was deep.

Yeah Bears!

The bears come out.
One, two, three.
They look around
And climb a tree.

Yeah Bears!

by Evelyn Saenz
Bears from CanTeach: Songs & Poems
The Black Bear

In the summer, fall, and spring
the black bear sports and has his fling,
but Winter sends him straight indoors and there he
snores... and snores... and snores.

The Three Alaskan Bears on Youtube 

You can set up The Three Bear's Movie Theater with a computer, a few chairs and headphones. I like to add curtains to make the theater seem more realistic. Very thin net curtains hung on dowels using fishline from the divisions in the ceiling tiles works quite well and you can still see the children.

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curated content from YouTube

Alaska's Three Bears 2 

I provide paper and pencils for writing movie reviews which are then posted outside the theater. Paper for making movie posters is available in the art center.

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curated content from YouTube

The Three Bears Literacy Bags 

Literacy Bags are a wonderful alternative to traditional homework. My Three Bears Literacy Bag consists of a Tale of the Three Bears, a non- fiction book about bears, a stuffed bear and a few games or activities related to bears and the skills that we are working on in class.

I put everything in a Bear Tote and use these cute shower curtain hooks to hang them on a clothing rack in my room.

The Grizzly Bear Literacy Bag 

Reading many versions of the Three Bears story encourages children to write and rewrite various versions of their own stories. They might even try writing stories from the perspective of different characters in their stories.

Literacy Bags about Bears 

Literacy Bag

Many Teachers are now making Literacy Bags. Here are a few links to more Literacy Bag Ideas.
BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR literacy bag/activities
Inside the large hand-painted canvas bag you will
find nine original activities and teddy bear counter manipulatives. Activities are laminated, cut out and ready to send home. Just add your copy of the book. by

Three Bears' Slap Jack 

Three Bears' Slap Jack

Write vocabulary words on flashcards.

Children sort the words into piles.

Variation: Pick one of the words to be Jack and play Slap Jack.

FLASH CARDS BLANK 2X3

Amazon Price: $10.59 (as of 12/04/2009) Buy Now

The Three Bears Games 

Learn Color Recognition

Mix and Match Teddy

Mix and Match Teddy is for children 2+ and has 12 cards to mix and match.


When Papa Bear sees him, he gives him some directions on how to switch the colors in his outfit. Follow the directions and find the correct outfit before your opponents in this fast-paced visual perception game!

The Bears are Playing Chess 

Brown Bears against the Black Bears

Bear Chess

The bears line up on each side of the chess board. Who will dominate this section of the river and eat the most salmon while getting ready for the long winter?

Bears Chessmen, King 3 1/4" - Chess Chessmen

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The Three Bears Puzzles 

I like to write words on the back of each puzzle piece and in the space where the pieces go in order for the children to help the children learn to read and spell these words. Often they go back to the puzzles during Writing Workshop for help with spelling.

The Three Bears go Berry Picking 

Berry Picking Math

Papa Bear had 2 berries in his pail and Baby Bear came along and dropped 2 more in. How many blueberries does Papa Bear have now?

The children record what they have learned in a Math journal. This aids them in writing for a purpose.

Bear Eating Berries

Getting Ready for Winter Game

1. Make a game board with berry bushes for the bears to pick berries.

2. Program a die with a wooden block with the names of various berries on each side. One side will say winter.

blueberry (blue)
raspberry (fuchsia)
strawberry (red)
blackberry (black)
grape (purple)
winter (white)

3. Use unifix cubes as berries.

4. Make cards with felt bears with 4 squares each of the types of berries the bear will eat.

5. Make a 4 piece puzzle from a winter scene. Make a board with the same scene in summer.

Children roll the die and pick the type of berry on the die and put it on the bear in the correct square. If they roll winter one piece of winter goes on the summer scene.

If someone fills up their bear they may help the other fill up their bears.

The children win if the bears are all full before winter comes.

Berry Tasting 

Graph your Favorite Berries

Blueberries for SalBlueberries for Sal

Bring in as many varieties of berries as possible. Have the children taste the berries. Write the name of their favorite berry on a berry card and attach it to the graph.

It is also a lot of fun to have some real berries stashed away to share at the end of the lesson. Many children have never even seen a real berries.

Three Bears Math 

Skip Counting by 3's

The Three Bears like to count by 3's so whether they are jumping rope or skipping through the A Walk in the Woods they practice Skip Counting by 3's to the tune of "Skip to my Lou".

Bear Skipping Rope


Photo Credit: Bear Skipping Rope
from Tin Toy Repair



Skip count, skip count
Count by 3's.
Skip count, skip count
Count by 3's.
Skip count, skip count
Count by 3's.
We can count to thirty!

3, 6, 9, 12
15, 18, 21,
24, 27, 30
We can count to 30!

To help the children understand Skip Counting by 3's have them

1. Divide 30 Counting Bears into groups of threes, count them individually and then by threes again.
2. Get out a laminated Hundreds board and circle every third number. Notice that these are the numbers in skip counting by 3's.
3. Divide 30 bears into groups of 3's and line them up on the Hundreds Board. Notice how the third bear in each group lands on a number that you circled.
4. Count by 3's as you jump rope.

Berry Patch Game 

Bears in the Berry Patch

Four different cooperative tile games by Family Pastimes. Players form as many good Berry Patches as they can, with the help of the friendly Bullfrogs.

The basic mathematical skills of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing all get a workout.

Six tiles have only Berries on them. Six have only Bugs. Eight have both Berries and Bugs. The Bug shown is a Slug, one of the few insects that damage Strawberries. Each of the 12 Bullfrogs can eat one bug.

In THE GOOD BERRY PATCH GAME, players form as many Good Berry Patches as they can that have more Berries than Bugs.

In THE BUG-FREE BERRY PATCH GAME, each Bug will eat a Berry and only saved Berries count... with a Bonus for each totally Bug-Free Patch formed.

There are also two MIND-READER BERRY PATCH GAMES, in which each tile is played silently with players trying to guess what tile the others are going to play.

Bears on Wheels 

bears on unicycles

Though often read to very young children this book is great for beginning readers and for those children who grew up with the Berenstains it makes a great introduction to ratios.

One bear on one wheel is a 1:1 ratio.
One bear on two wheels is a 1:2 ratio.
Two bears on one wheel is a 2:1 ratio.

Children who know this book quite well will begin to realize that it is the same as recipes that call for 3cups of Bisquick Mix to 1 cup of milk to make biscuits.

Bears on Wheels (Bright & Early Books)

As the gradually increasing number of bears on wheels adds up through all kinds of combinations and permutations, beginning readers are offered a unique counting book, courtesy of the Berenstains.

Amazon Price: $8.36 (as of 12/04/2009) Buy Now

Climbing and Tumbling Bears 

Piling Bears

A piling game as strong as bears for two to four players. Roll the die and place the matching color bear on top of the pile. This is a perfect travel game since it stores neatly in a tin container and fits comfortably in a pocket. Can be easily attached to a backpack as well.

These little bears are made of wood. Having several sets makes it possible to use them for counting, sorting, and for making patterns.
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The Bear Went Over the Mountain 

A Position Word Center

The Bear on Mountain

The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain,
To see what he could see.

And all that he could see,
And all that he could see,

Was the other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain
Was all that he could see.

After learning this song we work on position words. Make a stack of position words on index cards.
Use a bear stamp and marker to show the position of the bear in relation to a mountain.

Children read the word. Use a plastic bear and a playdough mountain to demonstrate the meaning of the word. They turn over the card for self checking.

The Three Bears on eBay 

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eBay

Polar Bears are clashing with our need for oil 

Polar Bears vs. Oil

To best help the polar bears we need to...

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...switch to solar energy.

Tipi says:

I love anything solar and use it mostly for lighting. Would like to go green all the way if possible.

Margo_Arrowsmith says:

Solar, it is already here, doesn't make anything new.

mulberry says:

I doubt ethanol is the solution. It is just another limited resource. Solar, wind, hydrogen fuel cells etc are better answers I think.

KimGiancaterino says:

The answer is complicated, but I don't see how drilling in the Arctic Refuge will help alleviate the current problem. Our overdependence on fossil fuels needs to be addressed.

...switch to ethonol.

 

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The Three Bears are in the Four Wheeler's Online Unit Study Directory 

The Four Wheelers Internet Directory of Unit Studies

Thank you to the Four Wheelers for including the The Three Bears in their Online Unit Study Directory.
Internet Directory of Unit Studies
The Four Wheelers Internet Directory of Unit Studies contains a list, roughly arranged by subject, of links to unit studies that are published on the Internet.

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Evelyn's Hands-On Learning Blog 

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About the Author of this Lens 

Evelyn's Hands-On Learning Blog.

I have three huge stuffed bears to cuddle up with when reading.

Find out about what else I have been up to when I'm not cuddled up with the Three Bears:

This lens is a proud member of the Save The Bears Group 

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by Evelyn_Saenz

My passion is teaching and finding ways to teach children in fun, hands-on, creative ways. The unit studies I make on Squidoo reflect my view that lea... (more)

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