A Puffin Is Not a Penguin Lesson Plan

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What We Are Learning
 

Science Focus:

penguins and puffins

 

Theme Vocabulary Words:

puffin, penguin, same, different, flippers

 

Skills We’re Practicing:

group discussion, vocabulary, gross-motor skills, finemotor skills

  • Penguins, Penguins, Everywhere! by Bob Barner takes readers through a day in the life of penguins, as they swim, eat, splash, and play. As you read, help children to notice what penguins do that they do too.
  • In Petr Horáček’s Puffin Peter, children meet puffin pals Peter and Paul, who are separated in a storm. While Peter searches for Paul, he meets birds that are similar to his best friend, but not quite the same. As you read, ask children to look closely at each bird. What do they notice that is the same and different between Peter the puffin and each of the other birds?

Penguins and Puffins Freeze Dance

Materials: music device

  • Get up and boogie with this new take on a classic game!
  • Tell children that they’ll be playing a new version of freeze dance. Before the music is played, you will either say “penguin” or “puffin.” If you say “penguin,” they must waddle to the music. If you say “puffin,” they must fly to the music. When you pause the music, they must freeze on the ice!
  • Remind them to listen closely to which bird you say and to move accordingly, being careful not to bump into other “birds.” gross-motor skills/science knowledge

Materials: construction paper (black, white, light blue or gray, orange), two trays, glue sticks, googly eyes, scissors

  • Use collage art to make an abstract penguin!
  • In advance, cut orange construction paper into small triangles to make beaks. Children can help you with the rest of the prep! Have children tear white paper into small pieces, and place them into one tray. Have them do the same with black paper, and place those pieces in the other tray.
  • Give students a sheet of blue or gray paper for the background. Guide them as they assemble their penguins, placing the white paper near the center of the page and the black paper near the outer edges. Then have them glue the pieces down. Finally, have children glue a beak and googly eyes near the top of the penguin, making sure the beak is below the eyes.
  • For added fun, glue smaller pieces of paper to the background to create falling snow! art/fine-motor skills