Student Activities
Based on Emperor Penguins by Roberta Edwards
Learning All About
Penguins
Have students complete the activity sheet. This activity allows the
student to study their vocabulary in a contextual format.
Vocabulary: flippers, swim, equator, Antarctic, colony, huddle, waddle,
dive, feathers, enemies, journey, animals, mate, sea, krill, squid, return,
hatched, downy, together
Related Activities
• Draw a simple food chain that includes a penguin, some krill, and a killer whale.
• Science activity: Have students put a thin rubber glove on one hand, and then submerge
that hand in bucket of ice water. Next, ask student to put gloved hand in a glove, or baggie,
filled with blubber (Crisco). Ask student to again submerge their hand in ice water. Ask them
explain the difference. This demonstrates to the students that blubber helps keep penguins
and other arctic animals warm.
• Ask students to pretend they are a penguin. Have them demonstrate how a penguin walks
on land, and swims in the ocean. Have them practice passing an egg (small ball) to a partner
with their feet, without dropping it.
• Language arts: Read a penguin story to class. Examples: Penguin Dreams by J. Otto
Seibold; Cinderella Penguin by Janet Perlman; Penguin Pete and Pat (which includes lesson
plan). See www.scholastic.com – type penguin into “Search Term.”
• Watch real penguins from the a zoo Webcam online. Use a search engine and type in
penguin Webcam.
• Science and social studies: Learn more about the Antarctica and penguins online.
Find more activities at www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/books. Permission to reproduce is fully granted by Scholastic Inc.
© 2007 Scholastic Inc. 6008
Name:
Penguins
Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct word. Use the
other words in the sentence for clues.
Penguins are amazing animals. They are birds who have wings that are
like ________. They like to _________ instead of fly. There are many types
of penguins. Most penguins live south of the ___________. Emperor
penguins live in the ___________. Penguins live in a large group called a
___________. The Emperor Penguins _________ together in these groups
to stay warm. When on land penguins _________ slowly on webbed feet.
But when penguins are in the water they swim very fast and ________ very
deep. These birds have black _________ on top and white on their bellies.
These colors make it hard for their ___________ to see them in the water.
Penguins come out of the water in March to make the long ___________ to
their nesting grounds. Penguins raise their young differently then most
_________. The mother lays the egg and then passes it to her _________
to keep warm. Then the mothers make the long walk back to the ________
to search for food. They eat fish, _________ and _________. The fathers will
keep the egg warm until the mothers’ _________ months later. When the
baby chicks are __________ they are very small and are covered with
___________ feathers. It’s now the fathers’ turn to go to the sea for food.
When they return, the family is _________ at last.
This activity is based on Emperor Penguins by Roberta Edwards.
Find more activities at www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/books. Permission to reproduce is fully granted by Scholastic Inc.
1
© 2007 Scholastic Inc. 6008
Name:
Answer Key
Penguins are amazing animals. They are birds who have wings that are
like flippers. They like to swim instead of fly. There are many types of
penguins. Most penguins live south of the equator. Emperor penguins
live in the Antarctic. Penguins live in a large group called a colony. The
Emperor Penguins huddle together in these groups to stay warm. When
on land penguins waddle slowly on webbed feet. But when penguins are
in the water they swim very fast and dive very deep. These birds have black
feathers on top and white on their bellies. These colors make it hard for
their enemies to see them in the water. Penguins come out of the water
in March to make the long journey to their nesting grounds. Penguins
raise their young differently than most animals. The mother lays the egg
and then passes it to her mate to keep warm. Then the mothers make the
long walk back to the sea to search for food. They eat fish, krill, and squid.
The fathers will keep the egg warm until the mothers’ return months later.
When the baby chicks are hatched they are very small and are covered with
downy feathers. It’s now the fathers’ turn to go to the sea for food. When
they return, the family is together at last.
2
Find more activities at www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/books. Permission to reproduce is fully granted by Scholastic Inc.
© 2007 Scholastic Inc. 6008