The White Fox / After Reading / Wider Learning Opportunities /
Research: Arctic Fox
Learning about the Arctic fox and its environment.
Lesson length: 2 sessions
Lesson from The White Fox series
Text potential
- Wider learning opportunities: Science: environment
- Wider learning opportunities: Science: habitats
Purpose
Reading about the Arctic fox could inspire readers to learn more about this creature, just as Sol does. Making the connection between fiction and the real world helps bring a story to life. Arctic foxes face threats to their survival due to changes in the Arctic environment, and this lesson allows children learn more about this subject.
Preparation
- Bookmark the weblinked resources below ready for inclusion in the lesson
Process
Begin by sharing the short clip from BBC Planet Earth, which shows the Arctic Tundra. Ask:
- What would be the challenges of living here for an Arctic fox?
Share responses and explain that you are going to learn more about the Arctic fox and the challenges it faces for survival. Read the passage from page 34 of The White Fox, where Sol reads from his book about the Arctic fox.
Invite questions from the class about the Arctic fox. Some might be:
- What does it eat?
- Where does it live?
- What are its predators?
- What do they look like?
- How long do they live?
- How many babies do they have?
Today’s challenge is to prepare an information sheet that gives vital information about the fox, including the challenges it faces for survival.
Organise the class into groups of 3-4. They will need to:
- Find information about the fox (This can be from books as well as using websites. Some websites are listed in the preparation section).
- Decide how best to present the information (This could be a poster, fact sheet, or slideshow using a computer or paper.)
Encourage the children to make their own choices about how to represent the information. Freedom of presentation format is essential when the subject matter has been defined for them.
The children are likely to need a second session to complete their writing.
Final reflection
Give time to share final products and feedback about the way the work has been presented. Ask:
- Did you learn anything new from someone?
- What did you like about the way other people presented their information.
- Would you change anything about your work?
Key vocabulary
tundra, habitat, predator, prey, survival, environment, challenge, diet
Resources
Arctic Foxes Under Threat
Guardian photographic report about the threats posed to the Arctic fox.
Global Warming: melting ice threatened Arctic foxes
Contributors
