A Fascinating Animal Unit Study
The penguin makes a great unit study and topic for a lapbook. There is the biology involved in the study of the animal itself. You can also add the earth science and geography of the penguin's habitat. Then there are great living books about penguins as well as crafts to make. Explore this lens for your own DIY penguin unit study and lapbook!
Penguin Lapbook Images
These photos are from my daughter's penguin lapbook which she did as a supplement after reading Mr. Popper's Penguins (as part of Sonlight Core 1). It was one of the first lapbooks we ever did.
We made it totally from free resources online. As you can see, it's very simple. Don't be intimidated by the photos of others' lapbooks. Just jump in there and create your own! You will get more and more proficient as you make more and more. And as your children mature, you can become more complex with your mini-books and their content.
Penguin Lapbooks Online
Look at the work of others for inspiration. If you've blogged your own penguin lapbook or posted pictures on the web, please contact me, and I'll add your link here!
- Duncan Yo-Yos Blog
- A great penguin lapbook, much more complex than ours above.
- Hilltop Academy Blog
- This lapbook revolves around the theme Antarctica, but there are several great penguin ideas there!
- Penguin Lapbook from Praying Mother
- Only three photos here, but so cute! These children even made masks!
Penguin Teaching Resources
- SeaWorld Teacher Guides
- Sea World offers two brilliant PDF teacher's guides. One is for grades K-3, the other for 4-8. These free downloads have not only facts and data but also reproducible maps, flashcards, charts, and images. This is an excellent resource you do not want to miss! It can serve as the foundation of your penguin study without your buying a single thing.
- New England Aquarium
- Questions and answers all about penguins. There are some fascinating facts here!
Non Fiction about Penguins
Reproducibles About Penguins
If you want some pre-made resources, these two titles would be good choices. Both are reproducible books with several activities that would be appropriate for or easily adaptable to lapbooking.
Theme Pockets - January
This Evan Moor title features penguins. Activities included are --penguins minibook, penguins picture cards, 2 bookmaking projects, penguin life cycle wheel, and a map activity. (Also covered -- four seasons and famous Americans.)
Amazon Price: $11.69 (as of 07/12/2009) 
Used Price: $2.90
Easy Make & Learn Projects: Penguins (Grades 1-3)
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
Used Price: $100.20
Penguin Shape Books
With these choices, you're sure to find a shape template that matches what you're envisioning.
- ABC Teach
- A free PDF penguin shape template.
- A to Z Teacher Stuff
- Look for three types of penguin shape books here -- a cover, lined paper, and blank paper with an outline. Print as many pages as you desire and staple them together.
- Write on Shapes -- Penguin
- A stylized penguin with lines on his torso for writing.
- Kid Zone Penguin Template
- This site offers three versions of penguin templates --a title page, lined paper, and picture (blank) paper.
- Printable Penguin Paper Craft
- This is a cute (not realistic) penguin foldable template.
- Penguin Story Sheet
- This penguin is wearing a scarf (with the words "Write a Penguin Story")and snowshoes. On his body are primary handwriting lines.
- Penguin Big Book Pattern
- A simple outline template of a penguin.
Penguin Lapbook Video
Lapbook Lessons: Penguin Lapbook
This is a free printable lapbook from Lapbook Lessons. Everything you see in this video, you can print free from our website http://www.LapbookLessons.com
Runtime: 4:08
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A Great Novel to Start Your Penguin Study
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Used Price: $0.01
This is the book that inspired our penguin study. It is a classic title of juvenile fiction that every child should read (or have read to him). The penguins of this novel are Adeile penguins.
More Fiction about Penguins
Penguin's Adventure: The Penguin's Peril (Taylor-Made Tales)
Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Used Price: $1.74
Penguin Puzzle (The Magic School Bus)
Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Used Price: $0.01
Another Penguin Lapbook Video
Maps of Penguin Habitats
Penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere, many in Antarctica. Be sure to include a map in your lapbook.
- EduPlace Southern Hemisphere
- This PDF has a great map of the Southern Hemisphere complete with continents labeled and latitude/longitude lines.
- Penguin Pals
- This lesson plan PDF is meant to help you plan a trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo. There is a list of vocabulary words related to penguins and a mapping activity that could be used in your lapbook.
- Penguins of the World
- A color map with penguin habitats marked in red. This map is interactive and will take you to more information about various penguin species.
Penguin Early Readers
I love it when I can tie in all the subjects into a unit study. If your child is an early reader, add in some of these penguin readers to continue the theme into your language arts.
All Aboard Science Reader Station Stop 2 Emperor Penguins
Amazon Price: $3.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Used Price: $0.01
Plenty of Penguins
Amazon Price: $3.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Used Price: $0.01
Penguin Coloring Pages
Coloring pages can be so much more than "just" coloring pages. Use the images to create your own minibooks, jigsaw puzzles, or flashcards.
- National Geographic
- This coloring page is excellent -- not only does it have an emperor penguin family but there is a detail inset of an the penguin's feet cradling the egg.
- New Zealand Penguins
- Realistic coloring pages of five types of penguins native to New Zealand -- blue, erect-crested, snares crested, rockhopper, and yellow-eyed.
Penguin Poems and Songs
For a song, look at these fun lyrics set to the tune of O My Darling Clementine. More poems and rhymes can be found at Can Teach and at DCrafts
Antarctic Antics: A Book of Penguin Poems
Amazon Price: $13.26 (as of 07/12/2009)
Used Price: $0.01
Add poetry to your penguin unit study with this hilariously fun book!
Drawing a Penguin
Try some of these step by step directions for drawing a penguin! Print out the icy scenery or these icebergs as backgrounds for your drawings.
- Draw and Color
- Click through ten steps to draw a cartoon styled penguin diving into the water. You'll have to draw this while sitting at the computer.
- Drawing Sheet
- A six step printable page.
- How to Draw a Penguin
- A very easy, six step penguin.
- Fishing Penguin
- This penguin has a fishing pole and a bucket of fish. Just leave those details off for a more realistic drawing.
Great Stuff on eBay
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Other Penguin Printables
all free to print and use
- Lapbook Lessons Penguin Lapbook
- Here you will find a great freebie -- lapbooking templates free to print and use with younger children studying about penguins.
- Penguin Lapbook
- A free download with ready made minibook templates! This PDF has the same minibooks in color and black and white. Very nice resource for FREE!
- Penguin Index Cards
- Look for the Antarctic Penguin Index Cards.
- Polar Wheel Book
- This simple but attractive wheel book has seven different polar animals including the penguin.
- Antarctic Food Chain Diagram
- Use this full color diagram as is, or use it to create your own version.
- Penguin Friends Mobile
- These attractive penguin printables can be used to make a mobile with five different types of penguins. Or be creative! Make puppets or a diorama with them.
- EdHelper Penguin Theme
- A long list of resources -- word puzzles, worksheets, and more.
- Waddle and Hop
- Learn about how (rockhopper) penguins move outside of the water with this paper activity. This PDF is from Scholastic, so the quality is excellent! It could easily be adapted into a minibook.
- Penguin Lapbook
- This free PDF download is an excellent resource!! Print and go -- super minibook templates!
- A Penguin Grows Up
- Five stages in a penguin's development. This would make a great accordion book!
- Penguin Pattern
- A simple papercraft penguin with a 3D beak.
Penguin Notebook Paper
This penguin themed stationery is great for notebooking or copywork.
- Penguin Notebooking Pages
- This is a PDF with four pages -- all lined and all with the same graphic, but in four different layouts. Very attractive!
- Penguin Border Paper
- A PDF format penguin stationery.
- Penguin Printables
- Note papers, postcards, labels, and stationery! All are full color, free printables.
- Penguin Lined Sheet
- Simple one page of lined paper with a black penguin silhouette.
Penguin Crafts
Remember to take pictures of any crafts that won't fit into a lapbook. The photos will!
- Kid's Craft Weekly
- If you don't already know about this terrific resource, you'll be thrilled to discover it! A free weekly newsletter full of easy crafts. This particular back issue, archived on the website, has a penguin craft.
- Pipe Cleaner Penguin
- Directions for making a whole rookery of adorable penguins from pipe cleaners.
- Listening to Directions Craft
- This is both a penguin craft and an exercise in listening to and following directions.
Papercraft Penguin Models
These papercraft penguin models are a bit difficult, so save them for your older children or do them alongside for a family activity.
- Yellow Eyed Penguin
- A great looking model!
- Emperor Penguin
- This paper model is from Canon 3D Papercraft.
- Origami Penguin
- This is a 3 page PDF with directions for making an origami penguin.
Science Experiments
Expand your penguin study with these science experiments. Document your results and put them in the lapbook.
- How Do Penguins Keep Warm?
- Learn about insulation and how it keeps penguins warm.
- Gulf of Maine Aquarium
- Experiments and activities dealing with coping with cold, salt concentration, plankton, and more.
- Learning Activities about Penguins
- Three activities -- how penguins stay warm, how they carry and egg, and comparing types of penguins.
Guestbook
Feel free to post your comments, questions, or suggestions.
Aadel wrote
We just finished Mr. Popper's Penguins and are starting our penguin lapbook!
Posted April 09, 2009
alegnacb wrote
Great lens! We're getting ready to do the Mr. Popper's Penguins lap~n~notebook at Homeschool Share, and now I have a lot more things to add to it. Thanks!
Posted March 25, 2009
Lesley wrote
You have so much information and links here that I didn't need to buy a single book! Great work!
Posted January 12, 2009
eclecticeducation wrote...
We did a penguin lapbook last year and it was a lot of fun. Great information here! 5*
Posted January 10, 2009
Rachel NC wrote
All I wanted was just a few little things to go with my Penguins Theme Pocket. You have given me soooo much to chose from, in a VERY well laid out manner- I am going PRINT CRAZY! Thanks a million!!
Posted January 09, 2009
