Read Aloud Polar Bear Nonfiction Books

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Nonfiction Polar Bear Books

My last post was focused on polar bear fiction books and included a variety of activities to go with them, so today I’m going to share some nonfiction titles that make good read-alouds.  Criteria for inclusion in this list includes narrative style with nonfiction text features, large format for group sharing, and of course plentiful facts for learning!

Day in the Life of a Polar Bear  A Day in the Life of a Polar Bear – by Sharon Katz Cooper
Follows a mother polar bear throughout her day with her cubs as they hunt for food, swim, play, bathe, and go to sleep.

I like this book because it includes action-packed photos that actually relate to the information being shared, rather than just stock photos of random polar bears walking around.  The text is quite child-friendly and lends itself to a chronological retelling by students (perhaps even using a Judy clock to reinforce the skill of telling time).  Includes a “Polar Bear Lifecycle” diagram and some critical thinking questions.

Do You Really Want to Meet a Polar bear  Do You Really Want to Meet a Polar Bear – written by Marcie Aboff, illustrated by Daniele Fabbri
The hero of our story, a bored student researcher, decides to visit the Arctic and learn about polar bears firsthand.

This book (which is part of a series that includes a dozen other animals) is a great introduction to an animal research project, and presents a perfect opportunity to compare primary and secondary information sources.  It’s also told in the second person, addressing the listening audience directly.  The author includes a collection of simple facts, along with a glossary and a bibliography of additional books and websites for curious readers.

Polar Bears Hunters  Polar Bears: Hunters of the Snow and Ice – by Elaine Landau
Learn all about the life of a polar bear, including its characteristics, habitat, diet, mating season, and threats to its way of life.

The text in this book is a little more dense than the previous two, but it’s still relayed in a second-person conversational style that will grab listeners’ attention and put them in the center of the action.  Most of the photos are large and clear (although the book itself is not oversized) and there are a few nice closeups of the clawed paw and hollow fur.  The author includes a page of fun facts about polar bears, along with a glossary and a bibliography of additional books and websites for further exploration.

A Polar Bear's World  A Polar Bear’s World – by Caroline Arnold
Find out what happens in a polar bear’s world when mother and her two cubs venture from their warm den into the Arctic  world.

Physically, this is the largest of these four books, measuring almost 11″ x 11″ and it features cut-paper illustrations (versus photos) that are easily seen in a group setting.  The main story is told in narrative fashion, with caption boxes providing additional facts and statistics on each page, and follows a mother and her cubs for the first two years of their lives.  Labeled illustrations of other arctic animals the bears encounter are included, although no other information about them is provided.  The author does include a map of their native habitat, a list of polar bear fun facts, and a glossary.  The author also shares a variety of follow-up activities for her books on her website.

If you have a favorite nonfiction polar book to use with students, I hope you’ll share it in the comments!

 

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