TEACHING KIDS ABOUT BIRDS:

Existing educational mateials on a !ide "aiet# o$ to%ics

&eaning Tun's at t(e )ontana Natual Histo# Cente:
http://www.thenaturecenter.org/resources/trunks.htm or contact Jazz at
jrowell@MontanaNaturalist.org . MNHC houses our Students Investigating Burns trunk that
we used ast summer to investigate di!!erences in the pant" #ird" and #eete communities
#etween #urned and un#urned !orest. In addition" there is another trunk that !ocuses on
migrator$ song#irds" here is the description !rom MNHC%s we# page:
SONGBIRD BLUES
Explore the natural history of migratory birds with this award-winning trunk! Learn
about their life in Mexico and Montana, and find out about the increasing problems
they face in their summer and winter homes. Help students appreciate songbirds and
learn how to help insure that their songs always herald spring in the ockies. !he
trunk includes a curriculum guide, specimens, books, puppets, tapes, "ideos, and a
felt storyboard. #rade le"el$ %-& 'ost is ()* for ) weeks, (+* for + weeks plus
shipping ,or trunks can be picked up from M-H'./
*e+ Resouces:
&. 'or good we# resources on teaching kids how to identi!$ #irds:
http://www.#irds.corne.edu/programs/((#outBirds/Birding&)*/
). +his site has a ziion inks to other sites" incuding ,i!e o! Birds -.*/"
(erod$namics -.0/" Bird Source -.1/" Nationa (viar$ -.2/" Nationa (udu#on
-.3/4 I didn%t e5pore a the inks #ut I think these are the most use!u -there are
man$ which aren%t that use!u/:
http://www.kidskonnect.com/Birds/BirdsHome.htm
*. 6avid (tten#orough%s ,i!e o! Birds7 8BS series4 grades 27&)" #ut man$ activities
coud pro#a#$ #e adapted !or $ounger kids 7 these videos are simp$ awesome9
+he :M i#rar$ has it and the Missoua pu#ic i#rar$ aso has a cop$4 this we#
site has ;uestions students can answer as the$%re watching the video" discussion
<s" and activities: http://www.p#s.org/i!eo!#irds/cassroom/inde5.htm
0. =ood we#sites where $ou -or students/ can stud$ #ird sihouettes: http://www.a7
#irds.com/#ird7shape7I6.htm" http://www.a7#irds.com/(natom$.htm"
http://www.#irds.corne.edu/programs/((#outBirds/Birding&)*/Identi!$ingBir
ds/idSihouette.htm.
1. +his is the (erod$namics main page where $ou can seect an age appropriate
reading eve" thus this site is pro#a#$ good !or *7&)4 materias !ocus on !ight
mechanics" how !ight works in di!!erent ta5a -insects" #ats" > #irds/" as we as
making connection #etween !ight in animas to powered !ight -i.e. airpanes/" the
histor$ o! !ight" and m$thoog$: http://wings.avkids.com/Book/inde5.htm
Bird ?ducation @esources
(vian Science Center
p. &
2. Bird Source7 a partnership #etween (udu#on and Corne ,a# o! Arnithoog$.
+here are * nationwide proBects that $ou > $our students coud #ecome invoved
in: =reat Back$ard Bird Count" Christmas Bird Count" and 8roBect 'eederCatch4
the !ina proBect coud #e a great cassroom proBect in the winter:
http://www.#irdsource.org/
3. Nationa (viar$: another awesome site with materias that can pro#a#$ #e
adapted !or *7&)4 'rom their main education page:
http://www.aviar$.org/edu/raven.php $ou% !ind inks to Dids Corner -$ou can
downoad pd!s o! #ird drawings !or $oung kids to coor/" @aven distance earning
programs -E&)1 !or a 1F minute esson/" and their Ce#7#ased Curricuum -the
most use!u resource/: 0 #asic topics and each topic has )71 GessonsH. +his site
o!!ers a huge variation in the t$pes o! esson pans" some are interactive on the
we# -incu#ate an egg" rearrange the !ood we#/" some are activities -pa$ a
!oraging game with di!!erent toos -i.e. #is/" dance ike a #ird to !ind a mate/"
de#ate topics -are #irds dinosaursI/" $ou get the idea...Check it out at:
http://www.aviar$.org/curric/curric.htm
J. Nationa (udu#on: this organization doesn%t seem to have man$ !ree resources4
the$ have (udu#on (dventures kits !or grades *72 and these are environmenta
education programs -so some are #irds" some are widi!e in genera/. +here are 0
di!!erent topics !or )FF27F3 schoo $ear" prices are E))7 *J.1F/kit !or cass o! *)
kids. +his site o!!ers good genera in!o on #ack$ard #irding" and there are inks to
their citizen science and #ack$ard #ird count programs. (so" under the
Bird>Science KBird @esources $ou% !ind inks to ever$ #ird reated organization
and resource out there. Ader students coud use these sites to research particuar
topics or earn more a#out a speci!ic #ird ta5a:
http://www.audu#on.org/educate/inde5.php
L. Iinois #ird education kit" deveoped #$ the Iinois 6N@ in &LL*. +hese
materias target grades *72 and o!!er good" #ut #asic in!o on what makes a #ird a
#ird" ha#itat" nesting" songs" migration" etc.
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/ch!/pu#/virtua#ird/educationa.htm
&F. +his site is primari$ !or #ack$ard #irders" #ut it o!!ers great in!o on #ird !eeders
and how to attract #irds and good advice on what to do w/ #a#$ #irds -a !re;uent
;uestion among chidren/. It aso has a Did%s corner with use!u in!o: #ird Bokes
and &FF amazing #ird trivia pieces -the #iggest #ird" the ongest #i" etc/
http://www.wid#irds.com/kidsMteaching.htm
&&. +his site has migration reated educationa materias and it covers a wide range o!
ta5a -#utter!ies" #irds" tuips and more9/. +here are numerous proBects that $our
cassroom can Boin in to hep track the Gthe Bourne$ northH or the response o!
pants and animas seasona changes: http://www.earner.org/Bnorth/
Bird ?ducation @esources
(vian Science Center
p. )