Fat, Fur and Feathers
Main Image
Main Image
Created by
University of Ottawa and Carleton University
Time Needed for Activity
Subjects
Students explore whether fat, fur and feathers keep them warm on snow/ice.
Normally we do this activity outside but facilitating virtually outside is pretty much impossible so in this one the teacher would bring some snow into the classroom or use bagged ice instead.
What You Need
- 1 "fat baggie" per student (1 baggie inside another baggie with shortening in between the two)
- 1 empty, doubled baggie per student (has 1 baggie inside another)
- 1 plastic sealed air bag (this represents animals with feathers)
- 1 baggie with a piece of fur in it.
- 2 tin of containers of snow per table/group of desks
- Tablecloths for the tables/desks.
Note: The teacher needs to bring in snow/ice for this activity. They will also have to help blow up the feather bags (likely for Kindergarten).
See attached guide for alternative activity supply list for virtual learners.
Guide:
Safety Notes
As a Let’s Talk Science volunteer, safety must be foremost in our minds during all activities. As STEM role models, volunteers must always also model safe science practices.
Always keep in mind the following precautions:
- Emphasize and demonstrate appropriate safety procedures throughout the presentation.
- Be professional but have fun.
- Keep workspaces clean to avoid tripping hazards.
- Allergens should have been checked before reserving the kit (e.g. allergies to latex).
What To Do
Let's do an experiment to see if having fat, feathers, or fur can help us stay warm!
- Have the educator distribute all the fat bags and the baggies with 2 baggies together, as well as place the metal bins/pie plates of snow on the desks for students to share.
- Show them how to put their hands in the fat bags so it doesn't get full of shortening.
- Show them how to put the bags on their hands and then place them on the ice.
- Give the students time to test each different baggie. After a few moments, discuss their findings.
- Have the teacher distribute one prefilled air bag to each student. The students can use on of the plastic baggies that was empty from the fat testing and put one hand on top of the prefilled air bag and the other on top of the plastic baggie with no air in it.
- Have the teacher distribute one bag with fur to each student. The students can then use one of the plastic baggies that was empty from the fat testing and put one hand on top of the fur bag and the other on top of the plastic bag with no air in it. Give the students a few minutes to explore.
Discovery
If students are curious to learn more about how animals prepare for winter, you can discuss the following methods with them:
- Hibernation – Some animals eat a lot before winter, lower their body temperature, lower the rate of their breathing (the groundhog only breathes once per minute or less), and find a place to stay over winter (e.g., some snakes, some rodents and bats). Some animals use water in the fat in their bodies over winter so they stay hydrated. Groundhogs are true hibernators.
- Not ‘true’ hibernation – some animals still eat a lot to prepare for the long winter, and can make it so they don’t need much food or oxygen because they have a special ability to make that happen – like the bear – but they don’t lower their body temperature as much as a ‘true hibernator’. Bears, skunks, raccoons.
- Deep freeze: Some frogs can partially freeze (they actually get ice crystals inside their bodies), like the wood frog, and then in the spring when it warms up they thaw and are fine.
- Migrate – Some animals travel to somewhere warm. Monarchs, songbirds, earthworms migrate deeper into the soil.
- Stay active – Some animals keep moving so they stay warmer. These animals that remain active have to have sources of food available to them. Some birds like the chickadee, squirrels.
- Grow more fur – Some animals grow an extra layer of fur. This fur keeps heat in because each piece of fur is hollow and traps air. Rabbits.
- Get fatter – Some animals eat a lot during the summer and fall to get more fat/build up fat stores to keep it warm. Bears, squirrels.
- Use feathers – Some animals have feathers that trap air and keep them warm. Chickadees, cardinals, some woodpeckers (many of these birds also shiver to keep warm)
- Live underground and/or tunnel through the snow – Some animals burrow under the snow near the earth where it’s much warmer than on top of the snow so they are able to move around staying close to the earth. Mice, voles.
- Store food – Some animals store food. Chipmunks, beavers.
- Blubber – In the arctic, animals also form a layer of blubber (similar to ‘fat’ but thicker and keeps the animals warmer). Polar bears, seals.
Investigate Further
If students are curious to learn more about how animals prepare for winter, you can discuss the following methods with them:
- Hibernation – Some animals eat a lot before winter, lower their body temperature, lower the rate of their breathing (the groundhog only breathes once per minute or less), and find a place to stay over winter (e.g., some snakes, some rodents and bats). Some animals use water in the fat in their bodies over winter so they stay hydrated. Groundhogs are true hibernators.
- Not ‘true’ hibernation – some animals still eat a lot to prepare for the long winter, and can make it so they don’t need much food or oxygen because they have a special ability to make that happen – like the bear – but they don’t lower their body temperature as much as a ‘true hibernator’. Bears, skunks, raccoons.
- Deep freeze: Some frogs can partially freeze (they actually get ice crystals inside their bodies), like the wood frog, and then in the spring when it warms up they thaw and are fine.
- Migrate – Some animals travel to somewhere warm. Monarchs, songbirds, earthworms migrate deeper into the soil.
- Stay active – Some animals keep moving so they stay warmer. These animals that remain active have to have sources of food available to them. Some birds like the chickadee, squirrels.
- Grow more fur – Some animals grow an extra layer of fur. This fur keeps heat in because each piece of fur is hollow and traps air. Rabbits.
- Get fatter – Some animals eat a lot during the summer and fall to get more fat/build up fat stores to keep it warm. Bears, squirrels.
- Use feathers – Some animals have feathers that trap air and keep them warm. Chickadees, cardinals, some woodpeckers (many of these birds also shiver to keep warm)
- Live underground and/or tunnel through the snow – Some animals burrow under the snow near the earth where it’s much warmer than on top of the snow so they are able to move around staying close to the earth. Mice, voles.
- Store food – Some animals store food. Chipmunks, beavers.
- Blubber – In the arctic, animals also form a layer of blubber (similar to ‘fat’ but thicker and keeps the animals warmer). Polar bears, seals.