Comparison Writing and Activities Polar Bears vs. Penguins

Get ready for an exciting ELA journey with two of the most well-known polar habitat mascots. These 14 learning activities will have your grade 3 and grade 4 learners discovering, creating, and writing as they increase their knowledge about POLAR BEARS and PENGUINS. This product contains several activities that are sure to engage your learners, including reading, writing, science, social studies, and art. Through reading passages and videos, learners will gather information to use in a comparison essay, explaining how polar bears and penguins are different, yet also very much alike. As a unit wrap up, learners will have a great time working their way through 20 task cards in which they will recall information they acquired throughout their journey. You’ll find these learning activities are the perfect addition to your wintertime curriculum. There is a mixture of opportunities for all types of learners: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic alike. Many of the worksheets are print and go and you’ll find the task cards can be used year over year if laminated. Most pages are available in a color format, while all are presented in black & white. An answer key is also provided. Details of each activity are listed below.

VERTICAL PAGES

PAGE 1: K-W-L chart for polar bears

PAGE 2: K-W-L chart for penguins

PAGE 3: 5 vocabulary terms used throughout the product

PAGE 4: 5 vocabulary terms used throughout the product

PAGE 5: worksheet highlighting the vocabulary terms

PAGE 6: links to two videos about polar bears and penguins with corresponding comprehension questions

PAGE 7: worksheet about physical and behavioral adaptations of polar bears and penguins

PAGE 8: instructions for a hands-on craftivity comparing the size of learners’ hands to polar bears’ paws

PAGE 9: template for polar bear craftivity

PAGE 10: instructions for a hands-on craftivity comparing the height of learners and Emperor penguins

ANSWER KEY    

HORIZONTAL PAGES

PAGE 1: reading passage about polar bears

PAGE 2: reading passage about penguins

PAGE 3: comprehension questions about reading passages

PAGE 4: worksheet about sorting physical adaptations of polar bears and penguins

PAGE 5: worksheet identifying polar bear and penguin habitats on a world map

PAGE 6: Venn diagram template (polar bears vs. penguins)

PAGE 7: stationery for comparison essay

PAGE 8: stationery for comparison essay

PAGE 9: graphic organizer about transition words and phrases to use in writing

PAGE 10: writing checklist for comparison essay

PAGES 11- 15: 20 task cards about polar bears and penguins

PAGE 16: answer recording page for task cards

ANSWER KEY