Penguin Lesson Plan Ideas
Homeschool Unit Study on these Antarctic Birds and their Habitats
Penguins have been a favorite for kids for many years. Use the ideas presented here to teach your kids about these cute critters.
The lesson plan ideas presented below will help you teach your kids about penguins. Feel free to use this as a standalone lesson, or incorporate it into what you already have.
Objective
This lesson will teach your child about penguins and their habitat through reading, writing, crafts and field trips.
Materials
- Beanbag or bean-filled ball
- Hard boiled egg
- March of the Penguins VHS or DVD
Fact File
- Penguins are birds, but they do not fly, but they are excellent swimmers and can swim up to 15 miles per hour.
- Like all birds, penguins lay eggs.
- Penguins live in places such as Antarctica, South Africa, the Galapagos Islands, New Zealand, Australian and the Coast of South America.
- Groups of penguins that live together are called a rookery, or sometimes a colony.
- Penguins eat food they find in the ocean such as fish, krill, and squid.
- Penguins can keep warm in their cold climate with their feathers and blubber (fat).
- It is estimated that there are about 100 million penguins living in the world and there are about 18 different species of penguins.
- Penguins are threatened everyday by pollution, over harvesting of fish and larger ocean creatures.
Lesson Activities
Penguin Race: A male penguin takes care of the egg until it hatches. He keeps it warm by balancing the egg on the top of his feet and covering it with his feathers. This is a game that tests your child’s egg balancing skills. You will need a small beanbag or bean-filled ball. Have your child balance the bag on top of his or her feet. On “go” have the children race to the end without upsetting the “egg.” If the egg falls off, they must go back to the starting point and start over.
Caring for an Egg: Penguins must take very good care of their egg until it hatches. It if falls or rolls out, it can crack and the baby could die. Give your child a hard boiled egg in the morning and have the child care for the egg all day long. At the end of the day, look for cracks in the eggshell. This will reinforce the idea that any parent must be very responsible, even penguins.
Watch March of the Penguins: This is a documentary style movie that depicts the Emperor penguins in their natural habitats. It follows their struggles throughout mating season and what they must do to care for their eggs, and stay alive during the harsh season.
Field Trip Opportunity
Aquarium or zoo: Give your child a chance to see penguins in action by visiting your local aquarium or zoo. Places such as the Dallas World Aquarium and the Forth Worth Zoo feature excellent penguin habitats for your children to enjoy. Call to see if your local zoo also features penguins.
Wrap-Up
- Kid Zone has many activities and learning activities pertaining to penguins. You can also find printable worksheets and links to online penguin related games here.
- Penguin Cam is a website that will let kids take a look at the penguins at the Central Park Zoo any time of the day.
