National Writing Day Activities: Year 6 Writing Activities

Elephant Seal

Southern elephant seals live in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters. The conditions here are brutally cold, but they are also rich in marine life such as fish and squid – foods that these seals like to eat. Southern elephant seals are the largest species of seal. Adult males can be over 20 feet long and weigh up to 8,800 pounds. You might think that their great size is why they are known as ‘elephant’ seals. However, they actually get their name from their trunk-like inflatable snouts.

In this clip, we will see some king penguins trying to get past some sleeping elephant seals to reach their colony. Will they succeed or will they wake them from their slumber?

Writing Activity

✍️ Turn the sound off, and write a script for what you imagine the penguins and elephant seals are saying throughout the clip.

Example:

Penguin I: Alright team, keep your beaks down and flippers tight. We go one at a time. No waddling off course.

Penguin 2: They’re so… enormous. What if one rolls over?

Elephant seal 1: (snoring, then mumbling) Mmm… fish smoothie… five more minutes…

Take it Further!

🗣️🎭 Once you have written you script, get your classmates to help you perform it using your best acting and oracy skills.