Hibernation

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

In some parts of the world, when winter comes along, it brings cold temperatures and snowfall.

• What do you think animals do when winter comes? 
• How do they find food? 
• How do they survive the cold temperatures?

Many animals will struggle to find food during the winter.

• Why do you think it is so hard to find food?

Look at the pictures above and below for clues.

That's right! It is much harder for animals to find food in the winter time because of all the snow.

There are many ways for animals to survive during this harsh time of year. Some animals migrate. This means they fly, swim, or walk to places that are warmer during the winter time.

Some animals hibernate. This lesson is all about hibernation. Read on to learn about how animals hibernate.

Small animals are more likely to hibernate than large animals. Chipmunks, bats, raccoons, skunks, and groundhogs are examples of small animals that hibernate.

A large animal that hibernates is a bear. Read on to learn about what happens during hibernation.

Before an animal hibernates, it eats lots of food! This helps the animal gain weight before it hibernates.

These animals also build their dens, which are cozy, hidden homes, before hibernation. They store extra food in their homes in case they wake up during hibernation.

Animals that hibernate go into a deep sleep-like state. During hibernation, an animal's body temperature drops and its heart rate slows down to save energy.

Some animals will wake up during hibernation if their body gets too cold. They stay in their homes until the temperature warms up. When the temperature is warm, they come out of their homes.

Before moving on to the next section, say out loud how an animal's body changes when it hibernates.