How Do Penguins Stay Warm?
Penguins live in cold places, like Antarctica. To stay warm, they have special body coverings called feathers.
Penguin feathers are short and tightly packed. They trap air close to the body. This air keeps the penguin warm, like a coat.
Under their feathers, penguins have a layer of blubber. Blubber is thick body fat. It helps hold in heat and gives the penguin energy.
Penguins also huddle together in large groups. This is called a colony. By standing close, penguins share body heat.
Each of these things—feathers, blubber, and huddling—helps penguins survive in freezing weather.
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Reading Comprehension Worksheet: Clarify Word Meanings
Read the short story and answer each question.

How Do Penguins Stay Warm?
Name:
1. What does the word blubber mean in this passage?
A funny noise
A special kind of coat
A thick layer of fat under the skin
A type of penguin feather
2. What is a colony as used in the sentence: “Penguins also huddle together in large groups. This is called a colony”?
A loud noise
A group of penguins living together
A kind of shell
A bird nest
3. Fill in the blank:
Penguin feathers help trap __________ near the body to stay warm.
4. How did the passage help you figure out what blubber means?

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5. What are two ways penguins stay warm, and what words helped you understand them?

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Guide Reading Level: J
Lexile Level: 290L-450L
Grade Level: 1st Grade, End of the Year
Genre: Informational Text (Life Science)
Introducing the Text
"Today we’ll read a nonfiction passage about how penguins stay warm in cold places. We’ll explore tricky words like blubber and colony, and use clues in the sentences to figure out what they mean. This helps us grow as strong readers and science thinkers."
Vocabulary: feathers, trap, blubber, colony, survive
 Before Reading Discussion Questions
Have you ever seen a penguin at a zoo or in a book?
What do you think helps animals stay warm in cold places?
What should we do if we find a word we don’t know?
During Reading Discussion Questions 
What does the word blubber tell us about a penguin’s body?
What does it mean when penguins “trap air”?
What is a colony, and how does it help penguins?
After Reading Discussion Questions 
What text clues helped you understand new words?
Why is it important to understand words like blubber and colony in science texts?
Can you explain how feathers and blubber work together?
Activity Idea
Create a three-part penguin poster: one section for feathers, one for blubber, and one for colony. Under each, students draw a simple picture and write or dictate a sentence using the vocabulary word in context, explaining how it helps the penguin stay warm.
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Parent and Teacher Guide