Lesson Plan - How to Save a Bear Cub

Read the Article

Get the Answer Key

Learning Objective

Students will learn how human rescuers went to great lengths to save an orphaned black bear cub.

Content-Area Connections

Life Science

Standards Correlations

CCSS: RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.3, RI.4.4, RI.4.5, RI.4.8, RI.4.10

NGSS: From Molecules to Organisms

TEKS: Science 4.12

Text Structure

Problem/Solution

1. Preparing to Read

Watch the Video
Build background knowledge by watching the video “What You Need to Know About Bears.” Discuss: How many of these eight bear species have you heard of? Which of the species would you like to learn more about? Explain.
What You Need to Know About Bears
Watch a video to learn more about all types of bears.

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

  • rehabilitate
  • enclosure
Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about why the bear cub could not survive on its own.

2. Close-Reading Questions

1. What steps did caretakers take to act like bears when caring for Baby Bear?
To act like bears when caring for Baby Bear, caretakers wore bear masks, fur coats, and leather gloves. They grunted and made bear noises. The article explains that they also “stored their disguises in bins with bear poop.” 
(RI.4.3 Explaining Events)
2. What is an enclosure? Based on the article, what was the purpose of Baby Bear’s enclosure?
An enclosure is an area that is closed in by walls or fences. Based on the article, you can tell that the purpose of Baby Bear’s enclosure was to give him a temporary home and keep him in a safe spot where caregivers could help him. 
(RI.4.4 Vocabulary)

3. Which fact in “Get to Know Black Bears” do you think is most interesting? Why?
Answers will vary. 
(RI.4.2 Main Idea and Key Details)

3. Skill Building

FEATURED SKILL: Reading a Diagram
Use the skill builder “A Bear’s Life” to explore the life cycle of a black bear. Discuss: What similarities do you see between a bear’s life and a human’s life? 
(RI.4.7 Text Features)

Differentiate & Extend

Striving Readers and Multilingual Learners
Support striving readers and multilingual learners by calling attention to the figurative expression “sprang into action.” Explain that it means “began doing something quickly and with great energy.”

Discussion
How do you think the caretakers will feel when Baby Bear is returned to the wild? Explain.

Paired Texts
Pair this article with “Manatees on the Move” (Aug. 26, 2024) from our archive. Ask: What challenges did both the manatee rescuers and cub rescuers face?

Text-to-Speech