Pistes d'exploration

Use a map to locate Berlin, Germany and the Arctic Ocean.

Complete a Venn diagram to illustrate how raising a baby polar bear and a baby human are the same and different.

Scan the text for information about the chronology of Knut’s birth, infancy and upbringing. Use text and pictures to create a timeline of his life.

Discuss the controversy about keeping Knut at the zoo. Where do you stand on the issue? Using this and additional resources, find facts to support your view. 

Using this and other resources, list ways that people can help prevent polar bear extinction. Work in groups to create an informational poster about polar bear conservation.

Start a class KWL chart, noting what you know, and want to know, about polar bears.

Scan the text for information about the chronology of Knut’s birth, infancy and upbringing. Use text and pictures to create a timeline of his life.

Use this and other resources to learn more about polar bears. Create a poster to show your findings. Check the KWL chart to see if you found all that you wanted to learn.

Find a storybook bear and compare it to Knut. How are the two similar and different?

The Giant Bear: An Inuit Folktale

Mots-clés

Non-fiction , bears , captivity , illustrations (photographs) , life cycles , zoos

Commentaire descriptif

This true story of little Knut, a polar bear raised from infancy by a human, is sure to captivate young animal-loving readers and all those who like a good story with a happy ending. Children with baby brothers and sisters will recognize Thomas the zookeeper’s efforts—first to keep Knut alive, and then to help him learn and grow. Photo-illustrations show every step of the way. Newborn Knut is seen in his incubator, and then later snuggled with soft toys in his sleeping-box. An image of an early trip outside shows zoo-crowds in the background. Another depicts Knut and Thomas in intimate and easy companionship, mirroring each other’s posture, as they both lie propped up on forelegs (or elbows, in Thomas’ case). Like Knut himself, as his fame grew around the world, this book draws attention to the plight of polar bears in the wild. A preface by the authors explains some background about the story. Young readers will be interested to learn that the authors of this book include two children. Back material discusses general facts about polar bears, threats to their habitat and ways to help.