Birds: How do we increase the bird population at our school?
Summary
This is a lesson of how to improve our environment as well as how to enjoy it. The students will sit in the schoolyard, study pictures of birds and then compile similarities and differences. Students will observe live birds in the yard to discover what makes a bird a bird. They will learn why we do not have any birds in our yard and what things we need to add to attract birds. The students will use their journals to make notes, draw pictures, and write findings. As the lessons advance, the students will count the bird to determine mean, median, mode and range.
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Learning Goals
Students will learn to identify the different birds in the school yard.
Students will learn different parts of bird anatomy.
Students will label the diagram of the bird's body.
Students will learn different parts of bird anatomy.
Students will label the diagram of the bird's body.
Context for Use
This lesson is set up for 22 students in the third grade. The class will be set up in the field (schoolyard). The field exercise will help the student understand the subject much better. Each lesson time will require approximate thirty minutes. Prior to this second lesson, students will understand how to use the journal and how to write a creative sentence. This lesson could easily be moved indoors for the writing after taking a little time to observe the birds in their natural habitat.
Big Question: How do we draw birds to our school?
Lesson 2 and 3 out of 10
Subject: Life Science, Language Arts
Grade Level: 3rd
Big Question: How do we draw birds to our school?
Lesson 2 and 3 out of 10
Subject: Life Science, Language Arts
Grade Level: 3rd
Description and Teaching Materials
Materials:
Journal for each child
Pencils
Colored pencils
Pictures of different birds
Drawing of Bird Anatomy Worksheet from the Enchanted Learning
Gather: About Bird: A Guide for Children by Catherine Sill
Birds, Nests, and Eggs by Mel Boring
The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thorton W. Burgess
Student's journal, a pencil, and colored pencils
Large whiteboard and marker
Watch a movie for the anticipatory set, (i.e. Animals Around Us: Birds: What Are They?)
Close this lesson by having the student write in their journal and share with a partner one thing that they find fascinating about their favorite bird.
Preparation: Previously taught how to use the student journals.
Student has understanding of a OKWHL chart.
Students will understand how to sit outside and observe nature.
Journal for each child
Pencils
Colored pencils
Pictures of different birds
Drawing of Bird Anatomy Worksheet from the Enchanted Learning
Gather: About Bird: A Guide for Children by Catherine Sill
Birds, Nests, and Eggs by Mel Boring
The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thorton W. Burgess
Student's journal, a pencil, and colored pencils
Large whiteboard and marker
Watch a movie for the anticipatory set, (i.e. Animals Around Us: Birds: What Are They?)
Close this lesson by having the student write in their journal and share with a partner one thing that they find fascinating about their favorite bird.
Preparation: Previously taught how to use the student journals.
Student has understanding of a OKWHL chart.
Students will understand how to sit outside and observe nature.
Teaching Notes and Tips
Procedure:
Part One
1. Watch a movie for the anticipatory set, (i.e. Animals Around Us: Birds: What Are They?)
2. Take the class outside. Sit in a circle and read a story out of The Burgess Bird Book for Children.
3. Ask students to open their journal and create a KWHL chart.
4. Have students take a few moments and think about birds then fill out the KWHL chart.
5. Draw the student's attention to the birds in the area and make an observation about the birds in their journal. Sketch a picture in journal. They make changes and additions to their KWHL charts.
6. Bring class together and discuss their thoughts about birds.
7. Close this lesson by having the student write in their journal and share with a partner one thing that they find fascinating about their favorite bird.
Lesson 3
1. Take the class outside to hear another story from The Burgess Bird Book for Children.
2. Ask students open their journal to the previous lessons KWHL and writing about the favorite part of a bird. Have the students review their chart with a partner and add more to their lists. Have student pairs join another pair to share ideas.
3. Ask students to share the anatomy of a bird. Have the students share with a partner the importance of the body parts they know. Come together as a group and discuss the importance of each body part.
4. Display a large picture or a stuffed bird for every group.
5. Using the picture, demonstrate how to write a descriptive sentence using the words from The Parts of a Bird worksheet.
6. Divide the class into groups of two. Distribute The Parts of a Bird worksheet.
7. Have the pairs write a descriptive sentence about five of the bird's body parts in their journal.
8. Have students share their two favorite sentences with the class.
9. Gather the writings to create a book about the birds. Display this book in the classroom for future reference.
Lesson 4 and future
Have students brainstorm why there aren't any birds in the yard and how they could change this problem. What will it take to attract birds? Which birds could live in the yard? How will we sustain the population? What are problems might we encounter?
Have students brainstorm both questions and then answer the questions. Work toward having the students discover solutions.
Part One
1. Watch a movie for the anticipatory set, (i.e. Animals Around Us: Birds: What Are They?)
2. Take the class outside. Sit in a circle and read a story out of The Burgess Bird Book for Children.
3. Ask students to open their journal and create a KWHL chart.
4. Have students take a few moments and think about birds then fill out the KWHL chart.
5. Draw the student's attention to the birds in the area and make an observation about the birds in their journal. Sketch a picture in journal. They make changes and additions to their KWHL charts.
6. Bring class together and discuss their thoughts about birds.
7. Close this lesson by having the student write in their journal and share with a partner one thing that they find fascinating about their favorite bird.
Lesson 3
1. Take the class outside to hear another story from The Burgess Bird Book for Children.
2. Ask students open their journal to the previous lessons KWHL and writing about the favorite part of a bird. Have the students review their chart with a partner and add more to their lists. Have student pairs join another pair to share ideas.
3. Ask students to share the anatomy of a bird. Have the students share with a partner the importance of the body parts they know. Come together as a group and discuss the importance of each body part.
4. Display a large picture or a stuffed bird for every group.
5. Using the picture, demonstrate how to write a descriptive sentence using the words from The Parts of a Bird worksheet.
6. Divide the class into groups of two. Distribute The Parts of a Bird worksheet.
7. Have the pairs write a descriptive sentence about five of the bird's body parts in their journal.
8. Have students share their two favorite sentences with the class.
9. Gather the writings to create a book about the birds. Display this book in the classroom for future reference.
Lesson 4 and future
Have students brainstorm why there aren't any birds in the yard and how they could change this problem. What will it take to attract birds? Which birds could live in the yard? How will we sustain the population? What are problems might we encounter?
Have students brainstorm both questions and then answer the questions. Work toward having the students discover solutions.
Assessment
A simple assessment will be taken on their descriptive writing and drawing for the booklet. A rubric could be used to help guide the pair of writers.
Standards
Life Science – 3.4.1.1.2 and 3.4.1.1.1
Reading and Literature D. 8. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections.
Reading and Literature D. 8. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections.