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Earth

Families in the Wild - Activity 3

The film follows the journeys of three families who face difficulties and find strength by sticking together.

The polar bear mother and her cubs; the humpback whale and her calf; the elephant mother and her baby with their herd - they all have long journeys to make. All the animals have adapted to the environments that they live in and, by working together, they have a better chance of surviving in the wild.

The different animals all live in very different environments.

  • What is the polar bears' habitat like?
  • What is the elephants' habitat like?
  • What is the whales' habitat like?

Show the different features of these habitats on a wallchart.

Adapting to different environments

Use the film and other sources to find out the ways in which whales, the polar bears and the elephants are specially suited to the environments in which they live. You could look at the colour or texture of their fur or hide; you could also explore how their legs, feet and fins help them to survive in their habitat. You can then match up your findings with your wallchart showing the different habitats.

Questions to think about:

  • Can you think of any times when groups of animals gather together?
  • What brings them together, and how do they behave towards each other?
  • In the film we see mothers trying to help their young. In what ways do the parents try to help their young and give them the best chance of survival?
  • How has the landscape changed for the elephants migrating to water, or for the polar bears trying to hunt? What effects have humans had on the natural habitats of some of the animals in the film?

Non fiction writing task:

  • Can you explain some of the ways in which humans have affected the animals shown in the film?
  • Do you feel that humans need to take more care to protect the environment for these animals?

Carry out further internet research on an animal or its environment from the film. Write a persuasive speech to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by this animal in the wild, and to encourage people to protect it.