Penguin Parents and their Babies

Unit: The Life of Penguins Grade: 2 Date: TBD

Name: Richard G Johnston Subject: Science, ELA
Learning Objectives:
 To learn the roles of daddy and mommy penguins.
 To learn about how penguins get food for their babies and themselves.
 To learn that penguins are part of a food chain, not just at the top or bottom
Student Competencies (QEP):
 Science and Technology
o Competency One: “To Explore the World of Science and Technology”
(Gouvernement du Québec Ministère de l’Éducation [GQME], 2001, p.162-
164).
 Learn what food Emperor Penguins eat (the mother, father, and chick).
 Learn how the baby penguin stays warm, by using its father’s pouch.
 English Language Arts
o Competency Two: “To Write Self-Expressive, Narrative and Information-
Based Texts” (GQME, 2001, p. 82-90).
 Brainstorm the ideas and reason behind the new words being learned.
 Drawing a picture of the journal entry to visually represent the idea.
 To share the journal entry written with the class so that everyone can
appreciate the writing.
o Competency Four: “To use Language to Communicate and Learn” (GQME,
2001, p. 99-108).
 Answering question or asking question about the video and penguins.
 Links the video to other knowledge through verbal discussion before or
after the activity.
 Having small discussions with classmates during the activity about what
they are writing about.

Cross-Curricular Competencies (QEP):

 Competency One: “To use Information” (GQME, 2001, p.16-17).
o To listen to a short video and use the information to understand Penguin
Families.
 Competency Four: “To use Creativity” (GQME, 2001, p.22-23).
o To write a story about a Penguin family based on the new words learned.
 Competency Five: “To Adopt Effective Work Methods” (GQME, 2001, p.26-27).
o To complete the writing journal in the best way for the students, either by
writing first or drawing a picture first.
 Competency Nine: “To Communicate Properly” (GQME, 2001, p.38-39).
o To share the writing journal entry, answer or ask the questions for the new
words, or to ask for help with writing journal entries.

Broad Areas of Learning (QEP):

 “Personal and Career Planning” (GQME, 2001, p.45).
 o To understand one’s limits when writing a text.
o To prepare for writing in the way that best suits the individual.
 “Environmental Awareness and Consumer Rights and Responsibilities” (GQME, 2001,
p.46-47).
o Awareness of how humans effect penguins and their habitats (through dialogue
in the class).
 “Citizenship and Community Life” (GQME, 2001, p.50).
o Comparing our practices to that of penguins (the father cares for the baby while
the mom gets food, opposite of traditional family practices).
o To share in the learning of penguins with classmates and the teacher.
o To give positive feedback on classmate’s work when shared with the class.

Notes for the lesson:

- See image 3.a for class layout
Notes about student needs:

Materials for Teacher (in RED): Materials for Students (in BLUE):
 Someway to show a video to the class  Pencil, eraser, sharpener
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ko07Md3XmU  Writing Journal (See image 2.a)
 A whiteboard or something to write on 
 The word cut-outs of penguins for the
video
Assessment
Method of Assessment:
The children will write a journal after watching the video and having a short discussion about
a penguin family.
Tool for Assessment:
The writing journal entry will be compared to a checklist to ensure that the students have
written their entries properly. (See image 1.a)
Lesson Plan Instructions
Pre-Lesson Setup
NOTE: this lesson plan will be based off of my current AT’s Materials needed:
classroom, using their materials and their first period (8:15-9:15),
letting setup be done before students are there.
 Set up the computer and have the video Penguin Parent - Computer
Control ready to play from the beginning (open YouTube and - Television
pause it at the 0:00 mark) - Whiteboard
o Plug the computer into the tv using the HDMI cable - Word cut-outs
- Writing
and set the tv to the right input so that the tv can be
Journal
opened and the video can play easily.
o Turn the tv off after setup is ready so that it does not
distract the students while they wait for the lesson.
 Make sure that there is an erasable marker on the whiteboard
so that writing can be done easily.
 o Also have the word cut-outs on the bottom lip of the
white board so they can be put up later. Keep the word
cut-outs faced towards the board so the students cannot
see them.
 Have the student’s writing journals beside the computer so that
once the lesson is over, the writing activity can begin.
 NOTE: do the activity before the class begins for the closure.

Introduction (Duration: 20 minutes at most)

 Once the kids are settled into their spots, let them know that Materials needed:
they will now be watching a short video on penguins.
o Now open the tv and begin the video. (2:48)
 With the video over, guide the students with questions about - Computer
what they saw in the video, which will be connected with the - Television
word cut-outs used. - Whiteboard
o Using the word cut-outs, come up with a question that - Word cut-outs
will have them think about what they saw without
being super obvious.
 Word 1: Emperor penguin
o Possible question: “There are many types of penguins
but what penguin were they talking about in the
video?”
o Call on a random student to answer, and if they need
assistance begin to use the sounds of the word Emperor
(em/p/er/or).
o Once the word is found, put the cut-out on the board so
that the word could be seen.
 Word 2: Chick
o Possible question: “And what do we call baby
penguins?”
o Call on a random student to answer, and if they need
assistance begin to use the sounds of the word Chick
(ch/i/ck). After the first sound, give the clue that it is
the same for baby chickens.
o Once the word is found, put the cut-out on the board so
that the word could be seen.
 Word 3: Pouch
o Possible question: “And the babies need to stay warm,
so they stay warm in …”
o Call on a random student to answer, and if they need
assistance begin to use the sounds of the word Pouch
(p/ou/ch).
o Once the word is found, put the cut-out on the board so
that the word could be seen.
 Word 4: Daddy
o Possible question: “So the babies stay in a pouch, do
they stay in the daddy’s or mommy’s pouch?”
o This question can be answered out loud by the entire
class.
o Once the word is found, put the cut-out on the board so
that the word could be seen.
 Word 5: Hunting
o Possible question: “And if the daddy is with the chick,
then where is the mommy?”
o Call on a random student to answer, and if they need
assistance begin to use the sounds of the word Hunting
(H/un/t/ing). If they say anything about getting fish,
say “yes but there is a special word for it” and restart
the sounds of the word.
o Once the word is found, put the cut-out on the board so
that the word could be seen.
 Word 6: Fish
o Possible question: “And what are the mommies hunting
for? What are they trying to catch?”
o Call on a random student to answer, and if they need
assistance begin to use the sounds of the word Fish
(f/i/sh). If they say Krill or Squid, say “yes they do eat
that too but what were they hunting in the video?”
o Once the word is found, put the cut-out on the board so
that the word could be seen.
 Word 7: Predators
o Possible question: “And since the mommy is hunting
fish, that makes the mommy what?”
o Call on a random student to answer, and if they need
assistance begin to use the sounds of the word Predator
(P/red/a/t/or). This one is a big word that is not at their
grade level per say, so giving lots of clues is needed
here.
o Once the word is found or the class is close enough to
finding it, put the cut-out on the board so that the word
could be seen.
 Word 8: Feeding
o Possible question: “And when the mommy comes back
to the daddy and chick, what will she do for the baby?”
o Call on a random student to answer, and if they need
assistance begin to use the sounds of the word Feeding
(f/ee/d/ing). If the students answers feeds or feeds it,
say “yes, and if we want to make feed and ing word
what would we do?” or “yes, but this is an ing word, do
 you know what it is?”
o Once the word is found, put the cut-out on the board so
that the word could be seen.

Main Activity (Duration: 25 minutes)

 With all words on the board, hand the writing journals to two Materials needed:
students so they can distribute them to the class. While they
are distributing the journals, explain the activity to the class.
o The students will be writing at least 2 pages in their - Pencil
- Eraser
writing journals about a penguin family, using some of
- Sharpener
the words now on the board.
- Writing
o The story can be realistic or completely fictional, as Journal
long as it is about a penguin family and uses at least
three words from the board.
o They can draw in the drawing section of the page in the
writing journal to show what their story is about.
 This activity will go on for the remainder of the period.
o When a student has completed the work, they may take
a sensory toy to play with individually, as if they begin
to pair up they may distract the other students from
doing their work.
o Continue to walk around the class and check on the
student’s progress, offering suggestions and
encouragement to the students who are struggling.
o The important parts of the writing are: 1. the use of
capitals in the right spots, 2. the use of three words
from the board, 3. the use of punctuation in the
appropriate spots and 4. writing within the lines of the
writing journal.

Closure of activity (Duration: 15 minutes)

 For the last 15 minutes of the period, have the students remain Materials needed
to their desk with their reading journals.
o Ask if anyone wants to share their reading journal with
the class. (if not, you can share your journal with the
class.)
o If someone does share, remind the class to listen to
them, and once they are done you can give praise and
talk reintroduce the topics they mentioned a bit more.
 Once everyone has finished sharing and the discussion is over,
introduce the next period lesson.

Additional Activities (if any)

No additional activities have been created for this lesson plan as of Materials needed
this moment.

Notes for the lesson:

Reflection
What happened?
Went well:

Needs Work:

How can this be Improved?

Image 1.a: Assessment Tool Checklist for Activity
 Penguin Parents and their Babies

Assessment Tool

Assessment Description: The children will write at least 2 pages in their writing journals about
a penguin family, whether it be a non-fiction journal entry or fiction journal entry. The story
must use 2 of the new list words introduced in this lesson, which are displayed on the board.
Once they have written the page, they can draw a picture associated with the story in the drawing
sections of their journal pages.

Checklist Look-fors:
 A capital letter is used as the beginning of each sentence, and for proper nouns (i.e.
Emperor Penguin, Antarctica).
 Punctuation is used where needed (i.e. the ending of sentences [. ! ?], lists [, : ;], or
dialogue [“ ”]).
 Letters are written in lower case form when a capital is not required.
 A minimum of 2 of the list words (Emperor Penguin, Chick, Pouch, Daddy, Hunting,
Fish, Predators, Feeding) are used in the journal entry.
 Words are spelt correctly, and verbs use the right conjugation.

Checklist Alternative for English Second Language (ESL) learners.

 The picture drawn is associated with the new material learned from the video.
 Words are correct phonetically (i.e. dady instead of daddy).
 Punctuation is used to end sentences (i.e. [. ! ?]).
 A minimum of 2 of the list words have been written in the journal correctly.
 Words written in the journal correspond with the pictures drawn through oral explanation
from the child.

Image 2.a: example of child’s journal page

Name:____________________ Date:____________________

Image 3.a: Rough layout of classroom

Brief description
The television in the classroom is in the top left corner (diagonal, dark gray), with the whiteboard
to the right of it (dark green) and a small area for the computer underneath it. Each table (filled
brown rectangles) has either one or three students (represented by dark blue). The teacher’s desk
(orange) is by the doors (white in the black wall) with a small reading/ play area (between desks
and teacher’s desk, consisting of the round table [brown circle], books [magenta], sensory toys
[yellow], and board games [lime green]).

References
Gouvernement du Québec Ministère de l’Éducation. (2001). Québec education program:
Preschool education, elementary education.
http://www.education.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/site_web/documents/PFEQ/educprg2001.pdf

National Geographic. (2021, December 24). Penguin Parent Control | National Geographic
[video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ko07Md3XmU