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.
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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.