Two gay penguins who successfully raised a chick together will help schoolchildren learn about same-sex relationships as part of a new syllabus aimed at kids from kindergarten to Year two.
The New South Wales Teachers Federation is collaborating with Sea Life Sydney Aquarium to inform young students about sensitive issues such as consent and sexuality.
Named ‘Love in all shapes and sizes’, the six lessons tell the story of Antarctic lovebirds Sphen and Magic and their five-year relationship.
The two males developed a strong bond in 2018 and became inseparable shortly before breeding season.
Wildlife staff at the tourist attraction said the smitten couple would go on romantic waddles together around their enclosure.
They soon started collecting pebbles to create a nest – something Gentoo penguins on Macquarie Island do to keep their eggs warm.
‘To ensure the couple were not excluded from the season, Magic and Sphen were given a dummy egg to allow them to practice incubating and develop their skills,’ the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium states.
‘They were absolute naturals and displayed great care for their egg, so much so, the team at Sea Life Sydney fostered a real egg to them from another couple who had two.
‘In October of 2018, the two successfully hatched baby SPHENGIC!
‘Today, the couple are still going strong and have paired up for a third breeding season!’
The lessons which are not compulsory can be completed online or at the aquarium.
The NSW Teachers Federation said on Facebook that members ‘can access a unit of work… aligned with the NSW syllabus, in the Knowledge Centre section of the Member Portal on Federation’s website.
