Becoming a Penguin

Oh my word ...... last week was probably my favorite week of the year so far!!  We learned all about PENGUINS!  Tacky has to my favorite "odd" bird to have around.  We did a little mini-research project about our favorite penguins, made a cute little penguin for the wall, waddled like a penguin with an egg on our feet, became a penguin in icy cold water, and finally made and edible penguin. SUPER FUN!!!

Becoming a Penguin

After talking about how penguins can swim in that super cold water without freezing, we decided to try it out.  On one hand we put a cotton glove (feather & blubber) and a purple latex free glove (the oil on their feathers).  This was our penguin hand.  Ready, set, freeze!!!  It was so fun to feel each hand when we pulled off the gloves.  One hand was warm, and the other one was freezing.  They just giggled and giggled.

Waddling Like a Penguin

Making an Edible Penguin - YUMMY!!

Swiss cake rolls, orange gummy slices, chocolate thin mints, M&Ms, large marshmallow slices, and icing for glue. 

They are going to ask - "How do we get the stuff to stick on?"  I love the look on their faces when I tell them glue.  "EEEEWWW  Mrs. Rucker!  We don't want to eat glue."   What if our glue was made of icing???  "YUM!!!"

What a week, but talk about some real life learning in action!

And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds-livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so.  And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind.  And God saw that it was good.  Genesis 1: 24-25

Penguin Fun

Last week was a week of penguin fun!  We learned a lot, did an awesome science experiment to experience life as a penguin, played a great little game, and everyone loved Tacky.

We started the week off by meeting Tacky.   Yeah!  If you have not read any of the Tacky books, you have to check them out!   There are several books in the series, and Tacky will always give you a good laugh.  "Tacky is an odd bird, but a very nice bird to have around." 

After reading one of our non-fiction books about penguins, we completed a compare and contrast diagram with penguins and birds.  The kids did great with this.  They were coming up with so many things: swim, fly, beak, eat fish, webbed feet, wings, etc.   Then they told me, "Mrs. Rucker, I think you need to put more lines on the diagram for the kids next year."  lol  Way to go kindergarten! Click here to download this freebie diagram:  Compare and Contrast: Penguin & Bird

But, how can you understand what it's like to be a penguin, without trying it out.  So, we did! We belted pillows on our bellies (of course black and white) and put a little "egg" on our feet.   Then I had the kids waddle down around a cone and come back.  This was hilarious! When their egged rolled off,  they sure had a tough time getting it back on their feet with all that blubber in the way!  My para told me that she thought everyone should try this so they could experience life being pregnant!

To end the week, I wanted them to experience the "cold" life of a penguin. So, I posed a question:  "How are the penguins able to swim in that really cold water?"  Eeeeek!  We had to put on our "Serious Scientist Faces!"  After drawing our equipment and making predictions about why, we were ready to go.  This was incredible.  They could actually explain why:  the blubber, the feathers, the oil, and they could actually experience it.

We stared by feeling the water with the "icebergs"......just to make sure it was cold.  Then we talked about a penguin's blubber and feathers:  our green cotton glove.   Oh yes, our hands were warm, but what would happen if we put them in the water?????   BURRR - wet and cold!  

Then came the oil discussion:  our purple (latex-free) glove that we got from the nurse.  Would this help?  Yep, it did the job.  One hand was freezing and one hand was warm and dry!  This glove represented the oil on the penguin's feathers, and the kids totally got it!

 

What an incredible week!

"An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge."  Proverbs 18:15