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Jean PennycookJean Pennycook has been a high school science teacher for over 20 years and now works with scientists to bring their research to K-12 classrooms. Through an interactive website, Jean reaches students and the general public around the world bringing them closer to the world of penguins and Antarctica.

Project Page: Ross Sea Penguins

All Posts By Jean Pennycook


The Last Task of the Season

By Jean Pennycook · February 18, 2009 · comments 2 comments
CAPE ROYDS, ROSS ISLAND, ANTARCTICA-- The Adélie Penguin breeding season in Antarctica is short. By late January it is time for everyone to leave including the penguins. Before our team departs our last task is to band the chicks... {Read More »}


The Molt Is On

By Jean Pennycook · February 17, 2009 · comments No comments yet
CAPE ROYDS, ROSS ISLAND, ANTARCTICA-- Penguin chicks are born with a fine cover of small soft feathers. In a few days they will loose those feathers and grow wooly thick gray ones. These feathers will keep them warm for the next few weeks, but are not waterproof... {Read More »}


Rye Rover Rivals Real Rig

By Jean Pennycook · December 29, 2008 · comments 1 comment
MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- Eighth grade science students at Rye Middle School in Rye, New Hampshire, got into the act in Antarctica. Under the direction of their teacher Robin Ellwood, they built a submersible robotic camera that was launched in the Ross Sea... {Read More »}


Little Ice

By Jean Pennycook · December 16, 2008 · comments No comments yet
CAPE ROYDS, ROSS ISLAND, ANTARCTICA-- When you first come to Antarctica you are overwhelmed by the enormity, vastness and seemingly endless large structures of ice which dominate this continent (see my last dispatch). These larger scale visions persists until you begin to look closer... {Read More »}


Big Ice

By Jean Pennycook · December 15, 2008 · comments 1 comment
CAPE ROYDS, ROSS ISLAND, ANTARCTICA-- When you first come to Antarctica you are overwhelmed with the amount of ice. Every direction you turn you are surrounded by it dominating and controlling the landscape, white against white. Beautiful and powerful... {Read More »}


Connecting Antarctic Science to Children

By Jean Pennycook · December 7, 2008 · comments 1 comment
CAPE ROYDS, ROSS ISLAND, ANTARCTICA-- Most of the time while we are working with penguins in Antarctica, we are in the field at Cape Royds. We live in a tent and sleep on the ground near the breeding colony and it is a magical place for me. As far as we can see in any direction... {Read More »}


Penguin Poop Provides Answers

By Jean Pennycook · December 5, 2008 · comments 1 comment
CAPE ROYDS, ROSS ISLAND, ANTARCTICA-- Not all of our work is in the field; some requires time in a lab and long hours working with a stereoscope. One of the questions we are trying to answer is what do the penguins eat? In previous times researchers would sacrifice a penguin and examine their stomach contents... {Read More »}


Penguin Sense of Décor

By Jean Pennycook · November 27, 2008 · comments 2 comments
CAPE ROYDS, ROSS ISLAND, ANTARCTICA-- Male Adélie Penguins were seen this year at Cape Royds on Oct 21. First a trickle then a flood, by mid November most of the nests had been built, the males had found a mate and the eggs were laid... {Read More »}


Penguins in a Changing Climate

By Jean Pennycook · November 19, 2008 · comments 5 comments
MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- I've made it down to Antarctica for another season of studying how penguins are coping with global climate change. In this video, I introduce the work we are doing and give a preview of what I'll be reporting on over the next few months... {Read More »}