The features of penguins
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Audience
Primary school, Secondary school -
Learning stage
Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4 -
Learning area
Science -
Type
Learning resources
On this page...
A feature, or adaptation, is something that helps a living thing to survive in its environment. Animal features are parts of the body or types of behaviour that help the animal survive and reproduce. This could be something that allows them to move around their habitat, something that helps them catch or eat food, something that keeps them safe – there are lots of different types of animal features!
As flightless birds that live half of their life in cold waters, penguins have some really important adaptations to help them survive! Watch the video below to learn more about penguin features from Year 4 students Caitlyn and Amelia in their award winning Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize film Icy Cold But Toasty Warm.
- When penguin females lay eggs, the male and female of the pair take turns keeping the egg safe and warm. This is called 'incubating'.
- Little Penguins are a species of penguin found in Australia. They can spend two weeks away at sea, dozing and eating among the waves!
- What are 'features' or 'adaptations' of living things and how can they help an animal survive?
- What are some features that penguins have to keep them warm?
- What are some features that penguins have to keep the water away?
- What are some features that penguins have to help them move in their environment?
- Can you explain how penguins might have developed their adaptations?
About the video
Year 4 students Caitlyn and Amelia won the University of Sydney Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize for primary students in 2017. Their film, Icy Cold But Toasty Warm, teaches us about some of the features Antarctic penguins have to help them keep warm.
Sponsored by the University of Sydney, the Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize is a national short film competition that encourages school students to communicate a scientific concept in a way that is accessible and entertaining to the public while painlessly increasing their science knowledge. It is intended to support budding young scientists across the nation, who will be our future leaders in research, discovery and communication. You can learn more about the Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize here.
