Winter Residents in IL
Provided by: Illinois Department of Natural Resources|Published on: May 6, 2025
Grades: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Type: Videos
Subjects: Biology
Authors: Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Region: Illinois
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This video from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources helps students understand how Illinois animals survive the winter.
- Students are exposed to a number of different animal species and the different options the animals take to survive the winter in Illinois.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Key vocabulary is defined for students during the video.
- Students have visual representations of different types of animal species.
Prerequisites
- Teachers may want to supply students with a graphic organizer containing the key vocabulary discussed during the video.
- Teachers may want to create skeleton notes for students to fill out during the video with key takeaways.
- Teachers may want to use visual/picture cards for any of the different animal species discussed in the video for students to refer back to.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Teachers may want to consider slowing down the playback speed in order for students to take notes and/or define the vocabulary along with the video.
- The video discusses adaptations that animals make to the cold winter months. In order for students to make a personal connection, teachers may want to brainstorm ways humans also have to adapt to the cold weather. Using a Venn diagram, students can see if they can make any connections between humans and animals in the ways they adapt.
- To connect the idea of hibernation and migration to climate change, teachers may use the video Sleep Barry for students to better understand the effects of global warming on animals during the winter.
This video resource details how various species survive Illinois winters. The narration is clear, and pictures and binomial names are shown for each species mentioned. Climate change is not mentioned, but the video is based on sound science and details how species respond to climatic conditions. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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