Non-fiction: Meet the Emperors!

Meet the Emperors!

Emperor penguins are one of 17 different
kinds of penguins. Penguins are seabirds
with feathers and flippers. These birds cannot
fly. On land, they stand upright and walk with
a waddle.

Penguin Power
Emperor penguins are the largest penguins.
They are mostly black and white. Most
emperor penguins live in the icy waters of
Antarctica.1
photos.com

Baby emperor penguins have soft, fuzzy

feathers called down. As they grow up, they lose the down and grow
smooth feathers.
Emperor penguins dive in the water for food. Penguins eat small fish,
squid,2 and animals with shells, such as shrimp and crab.

photos.com

1 Antarctica: land at the South Pole

2 squid: sea animal that has eight short arms and two usually longer tentacles, a long thin body with a fin
on each side
1

2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.

Article: Copyright 2005 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.

Non-fiction: Meet the Emperors!

A baby chick stays warm under its parent. When emperor penguins are
grown, their feathers and a thick layer of fat keep them warm.
Emperor penguins are strong, fast swimmers. They have short wings,
which they use as flippers to paddle underwater.

sxc.hu

Emperor penguins also keep warm by huddling in groups called

colonies. The penguins take turns moving to the center of the group.
Emperor penguins are playful. They like to run, hop, jump, and slide
down snowy hills on their bellies. That is called tobogganing.

A Penguin Is Born

A female penguin lays one egg.

2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.

Article: Copyright 2005 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.

Non-fiction: Meet the Emperors!

The male penguin keeps the egg

warm between his stomach and
feet.

The egg hatches.

A baby chick is born. Both the

mother and father care for the
chick.

Michael-Che Swisher

2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.

Article: Copyright 2005 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.

Questions: Meet the Emperors!

Name: ____________________________

Date: ________________

Directions: Answer the following four questions based on the information

in the passage.
1. Describe an adult emperor penguins body.
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. Why must penguins be good swimmers?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. How do penguins use their wings?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
4. What is this passage mostly about?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________

2012 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Questions: Meet the Emperors!

Directions: Please read the sentence below and then write the word or
phrase that best answers the questions. The first answer has been provided
for you.
When they are grown, emperor penguins have feathers and a thick layer of
fat to keep them warm.
What? emperor penguins
5. (have) What?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
6. When?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
7. Why?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________

2012 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Questions: Meet the Emperors!

8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that

best completes the sentence.
After a female penguin lays an egg, the father keeps it between his
stomach and feet, _______ the egg stays warm.
A but
B because
C so
Directions: Read the vocabulary word and definition below. Then answer
questions 9 and 10.
Vocabulary Word: huddle (hud dle): to crowd together.
9. Read the sentences below and underline all forms of the word huddle.
a. The fans waited as the football team formed a huddle.
b. My brothers and I huddled together as we watched the scary movie.
c. The baby rabbits huddled together to stay warm in their nest.
d. During the storm, we all huddled together in the tiny tent.
e. The students huddled around the teacher to get a good look at the
science experiment.
10. Which image shows people huddling together?

2012 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Teacher Guide and Answer Key: Meet the Emperors!

Teacher Guide and Answer Key

Passage Reading Level: Lexile 680
Featured Text Structure: Descriptive the writer explains, defines or illustrates a
concept or topic
Passage Summary: Emperor penguins live at the bottom of the world, in Antarctica.
This passage describes how emperor penguins live.
To the Teacher: Read the passage aloud to the class [TIP: while reading aloud, show
the passage on a whiteboard or give each student a copy of the passage so they can
follow along].
Then, use the text-dependent questions 1-8 to facilitate a whole class discussion to
ensure students comprehend the key details from the passage.
Finally, use questions 9-10 to deep teach one important vocabulary word [TIP: you can
use the model provided for teaching additional vocabulary].

1. Describe an adult emperor penguins body. [Important Detail]

Suggested answer: Adult emperor penguins have feathers and flippers. They are
able to stand upright and they walk with a waddle. They have black and white
feathers. [paragraph 1,2]
2. Why must penguins be good swimmers? [Important Detail]
Suggested answer: Penguins must be good swimmers in order to catch their
food, which includes small fish, squid, shrimp, and crabs. [paragraph 4]
3. How do penguins use their wings? [Important Detail]
Suggested answer: Penguins use their wings as flippers for swimming.
[paragraph 6]
4. What is this passage mostly about? [Main Idea]
Suggested answer: This passage is mostly about how emperor penguins eat,
move, live, and care for their babies.
1

2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.

Teacher Guide and Answer Key: Meet the Emperors!

Directions: Please read the sentence below and then write the word or phrase that best
answers the questions. The first answer has been provided for you.
When they are grown, emperor penguins have feathers and a thick layer of fat to keep
them warm.
What? emperor penguins
5. (have) What? feathers and a thick layer of fat
6. When? when they are grown
7. Why? to keep them warm
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best
completes the sentence.
After a female penguin lays an egg, the father keeps it between his stomach and
feet, _______ the egg stays warm.
A but
B because
C so
To the Teacher: ReadWorks recommends that you teach this vocabulary word to the
whole class out loud using the four steps listed below.
Vocabulary Word: huddle (hud dle): to crowd together.
Step 1: Introduce the word
a. Teacher writes the word on the board and divides it into syllables: (hud dle)
b. Teacher says: This word is huddle. What is the word? [All students reply
together out loud: Huddle.]
Step 2: Provide a child-friendly definition
a. Teacher says: To huddle is to crowd together.
2

2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.

Teacher Guide and Answer Key: Meet the Emperors!

b. Teacher says: In the passage, penguins huddle together to keep warm.

c. Teacher says: What is the word? [All students reply together out loud:
Huddle.]
Step 3: Practice the word
Teacher provides examples and additional opportunities to repeat the word. Read the
first sentence out loud to your students. Begin reading it again and when you come to
the vocabulary word prompt students to say the vocabulary word out loud. Then, finish
reading the sentence out loud to your students.
Directions: Read the vocabulary word and definition below. Then answer questions 9
and 10.

Vocabulary Word: huddle (hud dle): to crowd together.
9. Read the sentences below and underline all forms of the word huddle.
a. The fans waited as the football team formed a huddle.
b. My brothers and I huddled together as we watched the scary movie.
c. The baby rabbits huddled together to stay warm in their nest.
d. During the storm, we all huddled together in the tiny tent.
e. The students huddled around the teacher to get a good look at the science
experiment.
Step 4: Check for student understanding
To the Teacher: This step can be completed as a whole class activity or as an
independent practice.
10. Which image shows people huddling together?

Suggested Additional Vocabulary: paddle

3

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