Penguin Science

Penguins Marching Through Your Classroom

 

penguin head

Welcome to the Penguin Science Education Page!

Here you will find fun and educational activities to help students learn about Adelie Penguin life, history and their relationship to climate change.

Students can check the nests of penguins as they raise the chicks (from Nov-Jan), receive a postcard from Antarctica, or send us a flag to fly!

Adelie Penguins exist only in Antarctica. The average day in the life of a penguin is filled with adventure and drama, as they struggle to live and thrive in a challenging environment and changing climate of Antarctica.

Explore the many activities below. Check out the Gallery of Pictures, the yearly Journal and test your skills at answering the Reflections from the Field. Go to the Did You Know section to find out how we know what we know.

mcmurdo map

 

penguin

If you have any questions about the activities below please contact me: jean.pennycook@gmail.com

waiting for joey

New. Check out the new book "Waiting For Joey." Written for young readers, grade 4-7 it follows the perilous life of Joey the penguin as he grows up in the Ross Sea, finds a mate and raises his own chicks at Cape Royds. Full of interesting facts about Adelie pengiuns, Antarcrtica and what we are learning from a decade of research.

Click HERE to read more about this fun story.

Click HERE to see the latest in Joey's story.

weddell seal

Help us Count the Seals

Citizen Science Project

THANK YOU ! ! ! The penguin team has completed this project and we now have a better understanding of where Weddell seals live in Antarctica and how many there are. We could not have done it without your help. Thousands of images were counted to gather this data. It was a big job, and hundreds of citizen scientists were involved. If you were one of them let us know! ! If you would like to read the academic paper produced from the work click on the title above or click HERE

cape royds

Help us Count Penguins

Citizen Science Project - We are ready for your help. Everyday our penguin-cam takes 5 pictures of the colony.The pictures are not archived so we need help in counting the penguins EVERY DAY in every picture. If your classroom would like to take part HERE are the instructions. Go HERE to see the pictures. Can't count every day or every picture? No problem do the ones you can when you can and send us the results. We will add them to the rest of the data. Every data bit helps.

adelie penguin

How do we know what we know?

Where do the penguins go?

Did you ever wonder where the penguins go in the winter? We know they do not stay in their breeding colonies on Ross Island. From April to August it is totally dark and the sea ice is frozen solid. They can not see in the dark and need access to the open water for food. Our team is beginning to unravel this mystery. Click HERE to learn what we have discovered.

penguin ice crack

Daily pictures and stories

Cape Royds Journal

June 24, 2020. The 2020-21 Adelie Penguin breeding season will happen without us. The COVID-19 event has restricted our travel to Antarctica this season. You can read the archived stories for 2016 through 2019 by clicking HERE. You can see archived pictures from 2012 -2016 HERE

penguin chick

Watch 10 penguin familes as they raise their chicks. Daily pictures

Nest Check

June 24, 2020. The 2020-21 Adelie Penguin breeding season will happen without us. The COVID-19 event has restricted our travel to Antarctica this season. Click HERE to see the daily pictures from the 2019-20 nests. Click HERE to see archived weather data, HERE to see archived pictures from the penguin families during the 2011, 2012, 3013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018Nest Check seasons.

 

penguin postcard

Receive a postcard from Antarctica

Postcard Project

June 24, 2020. The 2020-21 Adelie Penguin breeding season will happen without us. Check back in Aug 2021 as we hope to continue this popular project then. Check out the flyer from last year for details. Go HERE to see postcards sent to us from children all over the country.

penguin flag

Make a flag to fly in front of the penguins.

Flag Project

June 24, 2020. The 2020-21 Adelie Penguin breeding season will happen without us. Check back in Aug 2021 as we hope to continue this popular project then. Check out the flyer from last year for details. Go HERE to see flags from schools all over the country that have flown in Antarctica.

penguins

Teach your class about penguins and Antarcitca.

Powerpoint presentations for your classroom.

These classroom ready presentations were prepared for students in grade 4-8. Select from several topics. Slides include teaching notes and can be modified for other grades

adelie penguin

How do these birds survive in this harsh environment?

Penguin Adaptations to Antarctica

How do these amazing birds cope with the harsh environment of Antarctica? These close up pictures will show the many adaptations which allow Adelie Penguins to live and breed in the coldest environment on Earth.

penguin research

Got Questions?

Ask the Scientist a Question

Do you have questions about Adelie Penguins? Search this list of previously asked questions by students and adults from all over the world. Your question not there? Use the form at the bottom of the page to submit your unique question.

tagging a penguin

How do we know what we know?

How do We Know What We Know About Penguins

Interesting facts about Adelie Penguins and how we know what we know. How do scientists work, what instruments do they use and how do they discover the answer to their questions?

penguin eggs

Try your skill at these observations

Be a Penguin Scientist.

Here is your chance to be a penguin research scientist. Study these pictures and come up with your own ideas of why these birds do what they do. Write us with your ideas.

penguins

Lots of fun pictures

Gallery of Pictures.

Browse many topics of interest including Adelie Penguins, Emperor Penguins, Antarctic Landscapes, Antarctic Wildlife.

penguin swim

 

Penguin Glossary

Find the definition of penguin related word here.

waiting for joey

Find a book on penguins here

Penguin Books

map of Cape Royds

Have fun learning about penguins and Antarcrtica

Classroom Ready Activities

Activities for your classroom gr 3-7. Penguins, seals, climate change.

penguins

Many links and resources about Polar topics

Polar Resources for Educators

 

If you would like to learn more about the other speices of penguins around the world click here to go the International Penguin Conservation Work Group