We are all a little bit bird crazy around here since Miss Emerald has stolen our hearts, and she has inspired such love and caring in the boys, they are so much more aware of all the bird in our environment and they are so full of questions- endless questions lol.
That led to the boys requesting we do a unit study on birds- Australian native birds.
They let me know all the things they wanted us to learn- and which particular birds we would be studying and whilst the parade of beautiful visitors to the bird feeder in the garden inspired us all I planned our next terms work.
We will be studying a different bird species each week- starting with parrots , then we will look at storks and cranes, kookaburras and kingfishers, raptors, owls, seabirds, showstoppers- lyrebirds and bower birds, little birds- wrens and finches etc, pelicans and winding up with pigeons and doves.
We will be using our trusty field guide- Simpson and Days- Birds of Australia.
Steve Parish's - Amazing Facts about Australian Birds
Gramercy Press- The World Atlas of Birds
Readers Digest Pathfinders - Birds
A well loved stack of Nation Geographic Magazines , I have gone through our shelf and pulled out all the relevant issues, and also some Australian
geograhic's as well.
For specific information on the birds we will visit the fantastic
Birds in Backyards website.
I have also planned in a lot of field work
- bird watching in various habitats
- surveying how many and exactly who visits our yard
- researching and making more bird feeders to support local native birds in our area
- researching and planting out specific trees to help our feathered friends.
Other planned acivities include
origami and writing haiku with storks and cranes
Johnathon Livingstone Seagull with waterbirds
needlefelting a little bird
lots of art activities
a canoe trip
