The Brave Penguin Dads
The emperor penguin is a very large bird. He lives in a land of ice and snow.
This place is called Antarctica. The father penguin has a very special job.
He is a brave and kind parent. When the mother lays an egg, she is very tired.
She must go to the sea to find fish. The father stays behind to watch the egg.
The ice is too cold for the egg to touch. The father lifts the egg onto his big feet.
He has a warm flap of skin on his belly. This flap covers the egg like a cozy blanket.
The father stays with the egg for many weeks. He does not leave to eat any food.
He gets very hungry and very cold. The wind blows hard, but he does not move.
Many father penguins stand close together. They make a big circle to stay warm.
This is called a huddle. They take turns standing in the middle.
Soon, the tiny chick hatches from the egg. The father is happy to see the baby.
He gives the chick a little bit of food. This food comes from his own body.
Finally, the mother penguin comes back. She has a belly full of fish for the baby.
Now the father can go to the water to eat. He worked hard to keep his baby safe and warm.
- Antarctica:
- A very cold place at the bottom of the world covered in ice and snow.
- Huddle:
- A group of animals standing very close together to stay warm.
- Flap:
- A loose piece of skin or cloth that covers something.
- chick:
- A young baby bird.
- hatches:
- Breaks out of an egg to be born.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Vocabulary
Practice words from the passage with a printable worksheet.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.
Ready to use this passage in class?
Start free with the Mixed worksheet and 3 PDF downloads each week. Focused skill sets depend on plan.
Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Where do emperor penguins live?
- 2Why does the mother penguin go to the sea after laying her egg?
Where this passage belongs
You Might Also Like
About this explanatory article passage for Lower Elementary
“The Brave Penguin Dads” is a explanatory article reading passage about Penguin Parenting, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (229 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.