Storytime Theme: Polar Bears

Today’s storytime theme is a perfect theme for the upcoming winter as nights get longer and the days get colder. While this can be a simple bear-themed storytime, you can also use this as a topic for a STEM program that discusses the effects of climate change on the polar bear’s environment.

When I typically create a storytime lesson plan, I like to try and make it as flexible as possible. I typically try to gear these plans for a preschool age audience and encourage you as a storytime facilitator to adapt the plan to best fit your classroom or group. You can use simpler text or shorten titles for a younger audience or look for more in-depth storylines and more nonfiction to fill out a program for early elementary school age kids.

I also love the idea of being able to take the bones of a program like this and use it once for a storytime. Or, conversely, extend the learning over the course of a week by spreading out the books and extension activities. A perfect example is adding a STEM experiment by playing around with the idea of blubber or fat that helps to keep animals warm in cold environments.

Literacy Skills

However you decide to use this lesson plan, I encourage you to ask kids to share what they already know about polar bears, especially if you’re going to share a nonfiction title. Kids love to tell adults about what they know and it’s a great way to encourage communication skills and processing information. I also suggest checking out this great program I did with elementary school age kids that includes a KWL chart. It’s a fun way to incorporate language and writing skills into a program. Learn more about my Informational Text Fun Friday program and see how you can use these ideas with a program like this!

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