Penguins Unit for Kindergarten and First Grade

Are penguins birds? Where do they live? Find out the answers to these questions and more during this penguins unit for kindergarten and first grade! The week-long comprehensive unit includes detailed daily lesson plans with literature suggestions. It incorporates science, reading, writing, math, handwriting, and art. It also includes a STEAM activity and links to videos that complement the unit study.

Click on the PREVIEW to read each lesson plan, see the Week-at-a-Glance planning sheet, as well as examples of printables and art projects.

Teacher Features You’ll Love:

• Detailed daily lesson plans

• Week-at-a-glance planning guide

• Key concepts and objectives

• Extensive literature list

• Video links and QR codes

• Activity directions and printable templates

What’s Covered in the Unit?

Day 1: Are Penguins Birds? (Characteristics of Penguins)

• Classifying and sorting activity

• Label parts of a penguin

• Are penguins birds? writing prompt

• “If It Doesn’t Have Feathers” song

Day 2: Where Do Penguins Live? (Types of Penguins)

• Penguins on the map activity

• Penguin report writing prompt

• Penguin emergent reader

Day 3: What is a Baby Penguin Called? (Penguin Life Cycle)

• Life cycle of a penguin craft

• The Emperor and his egg activity

Day 4: What Do Penguins Eat and How Do They Stay Warm?

• Oily feathers experiment

• Penguin huddle activity

Day 5: How Do Penguins Move?

• Penguin slide STEAM challenge

• Penguin tobogganing races

• If I were a penguin writing prompt

Math Connections:

• Ordering numbers least to greatest

• Counting

• Place value: tens and ones

• Addition

• Subtraction

• Ten and twenty frames

• Making ten

• Comparing numbers with >, <, =

• Graphing

• Counting coins

• Measuring

• Word problems

Literacy Connections:

• Penguin word wall

• Beginning letter sounds

• Syllables

• CVC mystery words

• Read and draw words that end with p

• If I can read “hop”

• Punctuation

• Fixing mixed up sentences

• Verbs

• ABC order

• Penguin poem writing

• Postcard from a Penguin writing activity

• Penguin’s Party writing activity

• Penguin Problems writing activity

• All About Penguins writing activity

Questions? Feel free to email me at primarythemepark@gmail.com.

Find more cross-curricular units for K-1 HERE!

Thanks so much for stopping by!