Mr. Popper's Penguins Richard and Florence Atwater
Reading Calendar
January 29 - Chapter 1-2 (Kick-Off!) February 1 - Chapter 3 February 2 - Chapter 4 February 3 - Chapter 5 February 4 - Chapter 6 February 5 - Chapter 7 February 8 - Chapter 8 February 9 - Chapter 9 February 10 - Chapter 10 February 11 - Chapter 11 February 12 - Chapter 12 February 16- Chapter 13 February 17 - Chapter 14 February 18- Chapter 15 February 19 - Chapter 16 February 22 - Chapter 17 February 23 - Chapter 18 February 24 - Chapter 19 February 25 - Chapter 20
Kennedy teamed together to build an igloo out of gallon milk jugs!
MADISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KICK-OFF DAY!
SPECIAL DELIVERY OF THE HUNDREDS OF BOOKS!
IT'S A PENGUIN ROOKERY AT OAK HILL ELEMENTARY!
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE IN THE CRATE FROM ANTARCTICA?
Listen to recent chapters here:
February 18: Chapter 15 Read by Michelle Hanson, Assistant Principal at Kennedy Community School
February 19: Chapter 16 Read by Joni Olson, Executive Director, Student Achievement
February 22: Chapter 17 Read by Marsha Baisch, Assistant Superintendent, St. Cloud Area Schools
February 23: Chapter 18 Read by Kristina Tykwinski, Grade 2 teacher at Oak Hill Community School
February 24: Chapter 19 Read by Stephanie Peterson, Social Studies and Fine Arts Coordinator
February 25: Chapter 20 Read by Natalie Prasch, Director of EL and Cultural Programs
THANK YOU for being a part of this great Popper's Adventure this month. This has certainly made me excited to read a chapter a day! Keep up the great reading by finding another book that you can read together at home!
Penguin Facts 1. Penguins have more feathers than most other birds, averaging approximately 70 feathers per square inch. Think about it! Talk about it! Draw one square inch. What can you fit inside one square inch? 2. A group of young penguin chicks is called a creche. A group of penguins in the water is called a raft. A group of penguins on land is called a waddle. The Popper's certainly had a waddle of penguins! Think about it! Talk about it! What are other animal group names do you know? A gaggle? A pride? A school? A Flock...keep thinking and investigating. Can you find 10 different animal group names? 3. To keep from overheating, penguins pant like dogs to cool off. They also ruffle their feathers and hold their wings away from their bodies. Think About it! Talk about it! What are the amazing ways our bodies work to help us cool down? What do you know about your body temperature? What happens to your temperature when you get sick and how does your body react?
4. Emperor penguins are the largest penguins. They are 4 feet tall and can weigh as much as 100 lbs. Think about it! Talk about it! How tall are you? Think of something you can compare to a penguin. A penguin is a big as a _____________? 5. Penguins eyes work better under water than they do in the open air. Many scientists believe penguins are extremely short sighted. Think about it! Talk About it! Why do you think it is important for a penguin to see better in the water? How would scientists determine a penguin's range of vision? 6. Fairy, or Blue Penguins are only 16" tall, and weigh only 2lbs. Think about it! Talk about it! Find something that is close to 16" tall and weighs 2lbs for a comparison. A fairy penguin is like a __________ because __________. 7. When a penguin chick hatches, it begins to call out right away so that its parents recognize its voice. Think about it! Talk about it! Listen to people around you. Can you tell who is talking without being able to see them? Could you find your parents or a friend in a crowd just by listening? 8. Penguins take in a lot of salt water when the eat. They have special glands behind their eyes that filter the salt out of the water. Penguins sneeze to get rid of the salt! Think about it! Talk about it! Why do humans sneeze? How is sneezing helpful? 9. Penguins eat seafood: fish, squid, krill and crustaceans. They have a sharp hook on the end of their beak for grabbing dinner. Their tongues have backwards bristles to keep the slippery food from getting away. Think about it! Talk about it! What is your favorite meal to prepare and eat? What special features do we have that help us eat?
10.Penguin comes from the Welsh terms "pen" and "gwyn" meaning white head. Think about it! Talk about it! How did you get your name? Does it have special meaning in your family? 11. A penguin's body is hydrodynamic. It is shaped for maximum efficiency in the water. It is tapered at both ends, like a torpedo to reduce drag in the water. Think about it! Talk about it! Did you know hydro means water? Because of it's shape, penguins are fast in the water. What attributes do other animals have that are specific and helpful to them? Hmmm...What do car companies think about when creating cars?
12. Penguins have waterproof feathers that help keep them insulated. They spend a lot of time grooming them to keep their coat in perfect shape. Think about it! Talk about it! Watch the penguin cam an notice penguin behaviors. What do you notice about how penguins live in a community? 13. On land, penguins jump with both of their feet close together in order to move quickly or to cross rocky terrain. Think about it! Talk about it! Think about how many ways you can move! What is you favorite way to get around? 14. On land, penguins use their tails and wings to maintain balance when standing upright. In spring, snow thaws and refreezes in Antarctica, creating “skating rinks” that emperor penguin chicks use to practice walking on ice. Think about it! Talk about it! What do you use to keep your balance? Think about walking safely on ice. Do you do anything different so you don't fall? Have you every heard of the penguin shuffle? Waddle,waddle, waddle! 15. A penguin can swim under water for up to 20 minutes! Think about it! Talk about it! What do you like to do for 20 minutes? Reading is always a good activity. Challenge yourself to read for a minimum of 20 minutes....you might just get lost in a book! 16. Penguins are very social birds. They feed, swim and nest in groups. A group, called a rookery, can have up to 1,000 penguins! Think about it! Talk about it! What are the advantages of being a social creature? In what ways are you social? 17. The blue penguin, also known as the fairy penguin, is the smallest of the penguin species at 16 inches tall. It weighs about 2.2 pounds. The largest penguin species is the emperor penguin, which is about 3.7 feet tall and weighs between 60 and 90 pounds. Think about it! Talk about it! Captain cook was 2.5 feet tall! What would you do with a penguin for a pet? 18. Penguins look like they are wearing a tuxedo. This coloring is called countershading. It is a form of camouflage. It keeps them safe in the water. Think about it! Talk about it! How does countershading help the penguin? What animal is the penguin hiding from?
19. Penguins can be found on every continent in the Southern Hemisphere. Smaller penguins are found closer to the equator, larger penguins are found closer to Antarctica. Think about it! Talk about it! Why do you think size makes a difference? Can you find and locate the equator and Antarctica on a map? 20. Penguins are flightless birds. Other birds have wings for flying, but penguins have adapted flippers to help them swim in the water. Think about it! Talk about it! Would you rather have wings or flippers?