Today we shared stories about penguins, and learned which animals also live at the South Pole (and which animals DON’T).

Books We Shared

Our first story, Penguin’s Big Adventure by Salina Yoon, sees Penguin travel all the way to the North Pole and become the first penguin ever to reach it.

Penguin Problems by Jory John and illustrated by Lane Smith is about a whiny penguin who complains about everything until he meets a walrus (??) who reminds him to cultivate gratitude for the blessings in life. Personally, I’m inclined to agree with the penguin though. What do walruses know about penguin problems? We read this book after doing the North and South pole activity (below) and I asked the kids to try to spot the mistake.

Waddle! Waddle! by James Proimos is a fun graphic novel type romp in which a penguin goes looking for the mysterious dancer he has lost, and ends up making two new friends.


Flannel Board Letter of the Day

For each image I showed the kids, they had to guess what the word was that started with “P.”


Flannel Board Science Lesson

Polar Animals

In this activity, I had a picture of Earth surrounded by three large circles in which kids volunteered to attach the circular cutouts of various animals according to which pole the animal lives at. The narwhal and the walrus are northern animals, and the orca and leopard seal are southern. Kids were told whether to put their animal at the “north” or the “south,” and I like to think they learned a bit about directions as well as animal geography.

Flannel Board Counting Songs

Five Little Penguins Riding on a Sled

FIVE little penguins riding on a sled
One fell off and bumped his head; (stand and point to head)
Mother called the doctor (make pretend phone with hand)
And the doctor said:
No more penguins riding on the sled! (shake finger)


Video We Shared

Today’s film was a collection of songs and rhymes about penguins and their lifestyle. We saw four segments about baby penguins with their parents.


Music from CDs We Shared


“Clap Your Hands,” “Hello and How Are You,” and “I was a bird” from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

Clap Your Hands
Clap your hands, clap your hands
Everybody clap your hands
Clap your hands, clap your hands, clap your hands, clap your hands
Everybody clap your hands

Stomp your feet, Stomp your feet
Everybody stomp your feet
Stomp your feet, stomp your feet, stomp your feet, stomp your feet,
Everybody stomp your feet

Wave hello, wave hello,
Everybody wave hello
Wave hello, wave hello, wave hello, wave hello,
Everybody wave hello

Brush your teeth, brush your teeth
Everybody brush your teeth
Brush your teeth, brush your teeth, brush your teeth, brush your teeth
Everybody brush your teeth

Touch your nose, touch your nose
Everybody touch your nose
Touch your nose, touch your nose, touch your nose, touch your nose
Everybody touch your nose

Clap Your Hands, clap your hands
Everybody clap your hands
Clap your hands, clap your hands, clap your hands, clap your hands
Everybody clap your hands

Hello & How Are You?
Hello, hello, hello and how are you?
I’m fine, I’m fine, and I hope that you are too. (2x)

Now everybody clap your hands, clap your hands, clap your hands
Now everybody clap your hands, come on and clap your hands

Bonjour, bonjour, un petit mot d’amour
Bonjour, bonjour, amour pour tous les jours
Bonjour, bonjour, bonjour, comment ca va?
Ca va, ca va. J’espere que toi aussi.

Now everybody stomp your feet, stomp your feet, stomp your feet
Now everybody stomp your feet, come on and stomp your feet

Hola, hola, hola y cómo estás?
Estoy bien, muy bien, y espero que tú tambien. (2x)

Now everybody wave hello, wave hello, wave hello
Now everybody wave hello, hello, hello, hello.

I Was a Bird
If I was a bird,
I’d flap my wings all day (flap arms)
If I was a bird,
I’d flap my wings all day (flap arms)
Flap my wings all day (flap arms)
If I was a bird

If I was an elephant
I’d swing my trunk all day (swing arm)
If I was an elephant
I’d swing my trunk all day (swing arm)
Swing my trunk all day (swing arm)
If I was an elephant

If I was a kangaroo,
I’d hop and hop all day (jump)
If I was a kangaroo,
I’d hop and hop all day (jump)
hop and hop all day (jump)
If I was a kangaroo

If I was a monkey
I’d swing from branch to branch (reach out with arms)
If I was a monkey
I’d swing from branch to branch (reach out with arms)
Swing from branch to branch (reach out with arms)
If I was a monkey

If I was a snake
I’d slither in the grass all day (put hands together and wave your “snake” slowly side to side)
If I was a snake
I’d slither in the grass all day (put hands together and wave your “snake” slowly side to side)
Slither in the grass all day (put hands together and wave your “snake” slowly side to side)
If I was a snake

If I was a cheetah
I’d run really fast all day (run in place)
If I was a cheetah
I’d run really fast all day (run in place)
Run really fast all day (run in place)
If I was a cheetah

Continue the Fun

Want more stories about penguins?  Check these out at your Pasadena Public Library branch: