Did you see the movie 'Happy feet'? It is about a very happy penguin that just wants to dance. They are so cute waddling around in their black and white 'outfits'...
If you want you can watch the movie again, but first we will learn some facts about penguins.
Penguins do have 'wings', but they cannot fly. These wings of them have adapted (changed) in such a way that it helps the penguin with swimming. They do not really have any need for flying (but it could help to get away from their predators), since they can race through the sea very quickly and catch some fish.
Most types of penguins we know about will be found in the Southern Hemisphere (that is the bottom part of Earth underneath the Equator) but the Galapagos penguin is the only specie found in the Northern Hemisphere in the wild.
- Find pictures of the Galapagos penguin en any 2 other kinds and find extra information on them.
In countries like New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, you can find huge groups of penguins.
One would think that since the North Pole is nice and cold and icy (the type of weather penguins like), you will find some here, but no penguins are living here.
- Do some research and see if you can find out why there are no penguins living at the North Pole.
Half of their life they will spend on land (where they will mate and raise the young) and the other half they spend in the water (where they hunt and eat fish and other sea life). They can even drink the sea water.
The Emperor penguin is the biggest/tallest of all the penguin types and they can grow up to about 1.2 meters. They live at Antarctica and they will stand close to one another in a bundle to keep warm.
Penguins need to come up for air from under the water, but the Emperor penguin can stay underwater for about 20 minutes.
King Penguins are the second largest penguin specie. They have four layers of feathers to help keep them warm on the cold subantarctic islands where they breed.
Chinstrap Penguins get their name from the thin black band under their head. At times it looks like they’re wearing a black helmet, which might be useful as they’re considered the most aggressive type of penguin.
Crested penguins have yellow crests, as well as red bills and eyes.
Yellow eyed penguins (or Hoiho) are endangered penguins native to New Zealand. Their population is believed to be around 4000.
Little Blue Penguins are the smallest type of penguin, averaging around 33 cm (13 in) in height.
- Answer the following questions from the info above.
- Which type penguins has a yellow crest?
- Which penguin specie is the smallest type?
- Describe what a Chinstrap penguin look like and give one fact on it.
- What type of penguin is endangered and what is the meaning of 'endangered'?
- Which specie is the tallest penguin?
- Write down any 5 things you have learned from the videos that you watched.
- Find pictures of the different types of penguins and say which one is your favourite and why?
The penguins that live in Antarctica has no predators on land that will hunt them, but in the water is another story. This is when their black and white 'outfit' comes in handy. It helps to camouflage the penguin while swimming. From above it is difficult to see the black side and from below, the white side reflects the light.
- For fun listen to the story and then re-tell it in your own words.
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I never watched "Happy feet" but I seen March of the Penguins.
That movies shows about the life and survival of Penguins in Iceland.
Ultimate Oscar winning documentary..
O yes that is stunning - how wonderful it must be to be that close to nature
I also saw that - beautiful
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