Reading Enrichment/Enjoyment Unit First Grade: Penguins

The first grade students are reading Mr. Poppers Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. The teachers are focusing on the literary standards while reading the book. I was asked to create the enrichment/enjoyment unit focusing on informational texts about penguins. Focus Standards: ELACC1RI1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. (informational) ELACC1RI2: Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text. (informational) ELACC1RL1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. (literary) ELACC1RL2: Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson. (literary) ELACC1RL9: Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories. Supporting Standards: ELACC1RL3: Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details. ELACC1RL5: Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types. The Students Will Understand: -There are many (17) different types of penguins. -The life cycle of an emperor penguin is egg, chick, and adult. -Penguin habitats influence traits of the penguins. -Penguins have different characteristics. -Penguins need specially made habitats in order to survive in captivity. Essential Questions: -What is the life cycle of an emperor penguin? -How do penguins stay warm in arctic temperatures? -How are emperor penguins different from little blue penguins? -How do penguins survive in captivity? Outcomes, The Students Will Be Able To: -Explain the stages of an emperor penguins life cycle. -Describe how habitat affects the traits of penguins. -Compare and contrast the emperor penguin with the little blue penguin. -Explain how penguins survive in captivity. Day One: The students will have just started their novel study. In order to pique student interest in non-fiction literature on penguins, the SLMS will read The Life Cycle of a

Penguin by Colleen Sexton. While reading the students will identify the three stages of the life cycle of an emperor penguin. Day Two: The students will review the life cycle and physical characteristics (examples: large, yellow on the sides of heads) of emperor penguins. The SLMS will explain that the students are going to view an online live penguin cam (http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworldorlando/animalvision/viewanimals/penguins/) and determine whether or not the penguins are emperor penguins or another species of penguin. After making that determination, the SLMS will pose the following question: How do penguins stay warm in arctic temperatures? Once the students determine that their fat helps penguins stay warm, the SLMS will tell them that another name for fat is blubber. Then the students will experience how blubber protects penguins from the cold using a brief science experiment. A sandwich size zip lock bag will be filled with Crisco to simulate blubber. A clean sandwich size zip lock back will be pushed into the middle of the blubber. The students will put both hands into a pot of ice water. The left hand will go directly into the ice water. The right hand will go into the bag surrounded by blubber. The students will describe how the blubber keeps their right hand warm from the freezing temperature. Day Three: The SLMS will read excerpts from Penguins!: Strange and Wonderful by Laurence Pringle. The sections read will give details on the little blue penguin. The students will then complete a poster sized graphic organizer as a group. The chart will look like this: LITTLE BLUE PENGUINS TRAITS EMPEROR PENGUINS NICKNAME COLORING HEIGHT WEIGHT DIVING DEPTH LIFE SPAN DIET LOCATION BABIES Each student will receive a slip of paper with a piece of information about either emperor penguins or little blue penguins. The following information will be on the slips of paper: -Fairy Penguins -Warriors of Nature -deep blue coloring -yellow on head -13-16 inches

-about 48 inches -up to 3 pounds -50-100 pounds -20 feet deep -up to 1,755 feet deep -up to 6 years -up to 20 years -very small fish, krill, and squid -all sizes of fish, krill, squid, crustaceans -Australia, New Zealand, and Chile -Antarctica -have babies around August -have babies in May or June The SLMS will go trait-by-trait and have students read their slip of paper if they think the description they have fits that category. They will then determine which penguin the trait describes and explain their thinking using facts from the reading or inference skills. The students will add their piece of paper to the appropriate spot on the chart. The SLMS will close the lesson by having students write down their lingering questions for facts on penguins. Day Four: In Mr. Poppers Penguins, Mr. Popper makes modifications to his home, such as drilling holes in his refrigerator, in order for the arctic penguins to survive in a warmer weather climate. Today the students will watch a video (http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/animal-planet-presents/videos/mostoutrageous-sea-world-penguins.htm) explaining how the penguins at SeaWorld (the ones they saw on the penguin cam) survive in Florida since its a climate drastically different from what theyre use to. The SLMS will also answer the lingering questions written down on day 3.