Penguins

Step 1

Your team must come up with a TEAM NAME before starting.  Once you approve your team name with your teacher, this will be the team name that you put on all your work.  Before reading any information about penguins, complete a wordle on what your group knows about penguins already.  Make sure you include your team name in the wordle so I know which group you are.  Don't be worried if you don't know much.  This is okay.  You can create a wordle through this link:  Wordle   Print out a copy of the wordle for every team member and place it in your reading folder for later.

Step 2

After every task that you complete, your group will enter more notes on wallwisher that show what new things you have learned about penguins.  You can enter wallwisher through this link:  Wallwisher  Make sure you include the team name on each post.  If someone has already posted a similar note, you must come up with a different fact about what you learned.

Step 3

Watch  the National Geographic video below which explains even more about the life and times of penguins.  Read through all 10 slides under the tab FACTS AND PHOTOS and then view the video under the tab VIDEO AND SOUND.  These clips will give you much information to post on the wallwisher.  Take plenty of notes on a piece of loose leaf paper.  Keep it in your reading folder.  This is what you will use to help you write about your decision whether a habitat at school is a good idea or not.  (Your team should be thinking:  Hmmm...I wonder what I have learned so far that makes me think Mrs. Penguinlover should or should not build a penguin habitat in our school so that we can have live penguins year round.)

Step 4

Go on a fishing exploration with Emperor Penguins through National Geographic by clicking this link:  Fishing Exploration.  Take notes on your loose leaf paper and don't forget to add more information on wallwisher!

Spend some time on this site to help you gather even more information about the life of a penguin.  This site is loaded with terrific information.   As you look through this site, ask yourself what information do you see to support your view on whether or not our school is suitable for a penguin habitat.  Remember to post some new information to the wallwisher that might be of value to your final product.

 Step 5

Now that you and your team have done the research, you should have an idea of whether or not Mrs. Penguinlover's idea will work.  Create your own graphic organizer on a sheet of looseleaf paper and support your decision with at least 5 (Five) reasons for or against her idea.  Be sure that you can support your answer.

 Final Step

Take your group back to Wordle to create a new one.  Think of as many things as you can that you know about penguins now.  Complete a wordle together and print out a copy for each member of your group and make sure that your group name is included in the wordle.  When you are finished, staple your team's first wordle next to the second wordle on our classroom bulletin board.