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Together for Birds

Elementary

Description

Together for Birds provides students with the opportunity to explore and discover the ways in which birds and other living things depend on their habitat to survive.  Designed to be flexible, the three activities can be used as stand-alone activities or all together as a unit.

In activity #1, after a warm-up discussion, students create an observation telescope out of a paper tube and use it to observe a tree and complete an “Observation Bingo” exercise. After returning to class they will share their observations. The students will again go outside and in groups of 2-3 to observe a specific part of a tree and identify which plants and animals rely on the tree as their habitat. Students will journal their observations and then complete the “What’s the Connection?” exercise in which they organize their observations, data and information into a booklet before sharing with the class.

Activity #2 begins with the students discussing camouflage and its benefits. Next they will participate in a relay race to simulate birds feeding on camouflaged bugs.  They will chart the bugs they collect while discussing the ease or difficulty of obtaining each one.  The students will use the data from the relay race to create a graph and discuss how coloration can be a benefit to birds. The students will then draw a bird that could hide in plain sight in different outdoor settings.

In the third activity students work as naturalists.  In pairs they observe a designated area with an “Animal Count” sheet (provided) before sharing their discoveries with the class.

Each activity has assessment and enrichment suggestions as well as lesson adaptations for older students.

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

The focus of this resource is to develop an awareness of the importance of trees as habitats for birds.  Attention is paid to developing the observation skills needed to appreciate nature. 

Strengths

  • an abundance of background information for the teacher
  • all materials provided
  • interesting, engaging and differentiated activities 
  • enrichment ideas provided
  • assessment suggestions support each activity

Recommendation of how and where to use it

Together for Birds is an excellent, well-rounded resource best suited for the early elementary classroom.  It will help to address the curriculum outcomes related to habitats, ecosystems and the needs of living things. The activities can be used as stand alone experiences or can be used together as a unit of study.

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        • Analyzing and interpreting experiments in data probability develops an understanding of chance
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        • Science 4: All living things sense and respond to their environment

Themes Addressed

Ecosystems (4)

  • Appreciating the Natural World
  • Biodiversity
  • Interdependence
  • Wildlife Protection

Land Use & Natural Resources (1)

  • Forests

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Very Good

The activities in the resource allow the students to explore and discover how important habitats are for birds. They are given opportunities outdoors to take notes and collect data in order to make informed determinations.

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Satisfactory

Although not directly addressed in the activities, the environmental and social dimensions of the issues are explored through the materials that are provided for the teacher. The health benefits of observing birds in addition to the environmental importance of trees are effectively addressed. The economic dimensions of the issue can easily be supported by a discussion with the students by the teacher.

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Good

With a trend towards increasing urbanization, protecting trees and understanding the importance they play in an ecosystem is paramount.  The resource creates this understanding through its activities.

Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Satisfactory

The resource provides opportunities for the students to develop a deeper appreciation for the trees in their neighborhood and the habitats they provide for birds and other organisms.  However specific actions/projects are not directly included. 

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Very Good

Through discussions and the activities the students develop their own values regarding the importance of trees and the dynamic habitats that they provide for birds and other organisms.

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Poor/Not considered

This is not a focus of this resource.

Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Very Good

The activities in the resource are geared toward fostering appreciation for the value of birds and the need to protect trees as important habitats for a variety of organisms.

Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Very Good

The foundation of the resource is to provide meaningful experiences outside to develop an appreciation for the importance of trees in the students' communities as crucial habitats. 

Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Poor/Not considered

The resource doesn't directly address this criterion. It has more of a focus on the general importance of birds and trees. The teacher could through discussions, develop an understanding of the importance of trees from the past, present and future.

Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Very Good

The lesson's activities provide an opportunity to develop a sense of the importance of trees through the students' own observations and discussions.

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Very Good
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Numeracy
  • Visual arts
  • Literacy
Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Good

The students seek to understand how birds and other organisms use the trees that they are observing as habitats.  They gather data and try to describe through shared discussions the important relationship between the trees and birds.

Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Very Good

This resource provides ample opportunity for all learning styles to be addressed by providing enrichment activities as well as suggestions for meeting the needs of diverse learners

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Very Good

The entire lesson is focused on developing attitudes and experiences out in nature. The students work on observing the habitats and the organisms that use those habitats.

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory
Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Very Good

Each activity includes multiple assessment suggestions.

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Satisfactory
Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Poor/Not considered

The lesson is not based on case studies.

Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Satisfactory

As the resource is geared toward the early elementary level, there are not a lot of opportunities for choice of content. This does not detract from the quality of the resource.

Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.