Over 9,000 different species of birds live on our planet, from penguins in the Antarctic to the blue jays in your backyard. And birds are everywhere! Hawks soar overhead. Ducks swim in a pond. Chickadees fly from branch to branch. Sparrows hop on the sidewalk. And mockingbirds sing next to your front door.

Birds are easy to find, and learning to identify (name) our bird neighbors is the first step toward understanding them and the amazing lives they lead. It is also a fun way to begin to discover nature's secrets.

In this class, students will use binoculars, field guides and the Internet to find, identify and learn about the birds that live on our school campus and in our neighborhoods. They will learn how to recognize at least 20 common Florida birds and participate in the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission's Wings Over Florida certificate program.

Through hands-on activities and experiments, students will learn how birds talk to each other and how they travel thousands of miles without getting lost. They'll also discover how the first birds evolved.

Students will meet live owls and learn about their legendary senses of hearing and sight. They'll examine owl pellets and recreate the skeletons of their prey animals. Students will write original poems about their favorite birds. They will study the work of great bird artists and and create their own original artwork. There will be a field trip to the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge where students will have the opportunity to observe and learn about nesting bald eagles and other magnificent birds.

Each student will be responsible for creating an original project that will teach others what he or she has learned about our amazing birds.

For the Birds: Internet Links

Bird Brains Projects:  Each student will choose a bird species, bird family, or subject related to birds to study.

Students will then produce a creative project that they will use to teach other students in the class about their subject.

For example, if a student chooses to study about osprey, he or she might create a model of an osprey nesting platform, nest and birds. Or a student who studies peregrine falcons, might create a board game to teach others about their migration route and the problems they face while migrating.
Some Online Resources for Bird Brains Projects

Email Mrs. Beck

Gifted and Talented Program

The Wild Classroom