The days are getting shorter and shorter, which means that many of our forest friends are starting to gather food for winter. And that got me to thinking about bears, one of my favorite animals.

We have bears here in Georgia, but (fortunately) I have never seen one near my house. So I put together another one of our homeschool unit studies: a simple bears unit study for kids who want to learn more about these amazing mammals! There are videos, printables, and crafts below that you and your kids can use to study our furry friends!

If you like these, be sure to check out our list of bear books for kids to go along with this unit!

Homeschool Unit Studies: Bears Unit Study for Kids

Start your unit by learning about some of the most common bears around: The brown bear, the grizzly bear, and the black bear.

Brown Bear Facts for Kids:

Watch the following video and then ask your child to answer a few questions about brown bears.

1. Name three ecosystems in which brown bears live. (Answer: Rivers, meadows, and forests)
2. What else do brown bears use their sense of smell for besides sensing danger? (Answer: Communicating with other bears)
3. List three of the things brown bears eat. (Answer: Sedge grass, flies, salmon)
4. What skills do brown bear parents teach cubs? (Answer: Survival, hunting, and how to find shelter)
5. What animals often live in the same ecosystems with brown bears? (Answers include: Squirrels, wolves, deer, fish, bald eagles)

Grizzly Bear Facts for Kids:

To learn about the grizzly bear, watch this video and try to answer the questions that follow.

1. How did the grizzly bear gets its name? (Answer: Because the silver tips on its fur give it a “grizzled” appearance.)
2. What features set a grizzly bear apart from a black bear? (Answer: Grizzly bears have a large hump on their shoulders right behind their heads. Grizzly bears have claws that are twice as large as the black bear’s. Grizzly bears have curved profiles, while black bears have straighter profiles.)
3. What does a grizzly bear use its muscular shoulder hump for? (Answer: For help in digging up their food.)
4. How fast can a grizzly bear run? (Answer: Between 35 and 40 miles an hour.)
5. How much can a grizzly bear weigh? (Answer: Up to 700 pounds.)
6. Does a grizzly bear eat a lot of meat? (Answer: No, 85% of its diet consists of vegetables.)
7. How much distance does a grizzly bear travel in a day? (Answer: Up to 20 or 30 miles.)

Black Bear Facts for Kids

Now it’s time to learn a bit about black bears! Watch this video and then discuss the following questions. Just to be technical: This video refers to pandas as bears, which they are not. Other than that, it’s okay. 🙂

1. Where do black bears live? (Answer: In the forests of North America, Mexico, and Canada)
2. How do black bears keep themselves fed during hibernation? (Answer: They live off the energy from stored body fat.)
3. Is a black bear an omnivore, herbivore, or carnivore? (Answer: Omnivores, because they eat almost anything, including berries, fruit, and other animals.)
4. Do black bears live alone or in groups? (Answer: Black bears are solitary animals, typically living alone.)

Bear Printables for Kids

These bear printables for kids include activities for each elementary grade level!

1. Grade Tot/PK: Printable Bear Snores On Pack – 3 Dinosaurs
2. Grade PK: Printable Bear Math Patterns – Fun-A-Day
3. Grade PK: Brown Bear, Brown Bear Printable Activity – Growing Book by Book
4. Grade 1: Black Bear Reading Comprehension Worksheet – Comprehension Worksheets
5. Grades 1-2: Bear Essentials Lesson Plan – National Park Service
6. Grade 2: Grizzly Bear Printable – Enchanted Learning
7. Grade 3: Black Bear Worksheet – Education.com
8. Grade 3: Grizzly Bears Facts Worksheet – Education.com
9. Grade 4: Bear Essentials Lesson Plan – National Park Service
10. Grades 4-6:Grizzly Bears and Wolves Curriculum – U.S. Forest Service

Bear Activities and Crafts for Kids

Add some hands-on fun with these adorable bear activities and crafts!

1. Hiberating Bear Paper Plate Craft – A Little Pinch of Perfect
2. Paper Bag Bear Puppet – Crafty Morning
3. Cupcake Liner Bear Craft – Glued to My Crafts
4. Fuzzy Brown Bear Craft – Cutting Tiny Bites
5. B is for Bear Craft – I Can Teach My Child
6. Recycled CD Bear Craft – I Heart Crafty Things
7. Simple Pom Pom Bear Craft – Easy Peasy and Fun
8. Paddington Bear Toilet Paper Roll Craft – Red Ted Art
9. Potato Stamped Bears Craft – Glued to My Crafts
10. Brown Bear, Brown Bear Color Matching Activity – No Time for Flashcards

Books about Bears:

Read about these lovable mammals with these fun bear books for kids!

Children’s Books about Bears – Look! We’re Learning!

And don’t miss these other fun posts!

See more science learning ideas on my It’s Science Pinterest board!