A homeschool unit study: Birds

For my homeschooling friends, as promised, our unit study outline for birds. I've included ideas for reading lists, activities, field trips and experiments. Feel free to tuck it away for a future study with your own children, pick and choose, add and delete!

Books and Media:

for read-alouds: Trumpet of the Swan, Mr. Popper's Penguins, Hoot

other fascinating books that we enjoyed: Birds (Eye Witness), Backyard Birds of Winter (Lerner), Feeding our Feathered Friends (Spaulding),  Eagles, Lions of the Sky (Bernhard), Flute's Journey (Cherry), Our Yard is Full of Birds (Rockwell), Backyard Birds of Summer (Lerner), and dozens more. For factual information, we read from sections in our various science encyclopedias and Anna Botsford Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study. Our public library offers a preschool bird themed box that we enjoyed, as well as a huge section of bird related books.

CD: You Are My Little Bird, by Elizabeth Mitchell. I can't endorse this CD enough, we love it! (An mp3 download is also available for only $5.)

DVDs: our personal favorite, American Eagle. (Netflix has been invaluable to us! We love the science and nature documentaries!) Others - Fly Away Home, and of course March of the Penguins. We give Owl Cam : A Hidden World and Amazing Birds of America a so-so rating.

Beginning Birdwatcher's Book with 48 Stickers (my kids were so motivated by this).

North American Bird Stickers

Field Guides:

The Songbird's Bible with CD (a great find at Goodwill for $3!)

The Complete Encyclopedia of North American Birds (Purchased at B&N using my 'educator's discount' (available to all homeschool families), ended up around $10. This is perhaps our best field guide.

Common Birds and Their Songs An oldie but goodie, we've had this around for years.

Hands-On Supplies:

owl pellets for dissecting, along with tweezers and any little tools you may have. You will not want to use any kitchen tools on this, it's pretty gross. In fact, you will even want new tweezers afterward, trust me. :) We found some locally for $5 each.

Or try this- Virtual Owl Pellet Disection

Fresh bird seed, available at bird supply stores. (They helpful people at our local store explained that fresh seed will make a huge difference in attracting a large variety of birds. Seed sold at big stores, Fred Meyer or Lowe's, is not particularly fresh. We visited the Wild Bird Chalet and gained a lot of information.)

Song Bird Essential's Birdhouse - this is so cool! It is a bird house that suction cups to your window, and has an acrylic backing,so you can watch the birds build a nest, lay and hatch eggs, and observe the hatchlings. We have only had ours a week, and so far, no tenants, but we love it!

Charley Harper Memory Game - we would love the Birds and Words book, but do not have it.

Field Trips:

Locally, we visited an estuary, Padilla Bay. They offer occasional presentations for kids on eagles, and it included a walk to observe bald eagles and nests, and a craft. We enjoyed it, along with a picnic and walk on the adjacent beach. Free.

Locally, Semiahmoo.

Deming Eagle Park

Local pet store, to look at birds and notice their three types of feathers, beak shapes, etc. Free.

Locally, Sardis Raptor Center. I can't say enough about this place. It was fantastic, and our tour guide was a homeschooled college student, who was ever so kind! You will be face to face with bald eagles, various owls and other raptors. It's fascinating! We were the only ones there, and I think it would be likely for you to have the place to yourself! Free by donation.

Various local hikes and trail walks led us to many bird sightings. Soon the goslings and ducklings will be hatching at the small Derby Pond in Whatcom Falls park.

Other ideas:

Your own backyard - create a snactuary by using what you already have. Clean your feeders and add fresh seed, change the water in a bird bath, and set out peanuts in the shell. :)

A few online resources we liked:

Make a bird viewing station. We did, and it was used daily! Her photos are lovely.

Watercolor painting instructions

The National Audubon Society

Create a bird calendar Isn't this awesome? We haven't done it yet, but hope to.

So there is a bit of what we have done. I am sure once you get going, you can find a ton more as well. Let me know if you do, it is so fun! (And don't forget to host your own Bird Party!)

{Disclaimer: A word about our budget for school expenses... because we belong to a parent partnership, we are given a stipend to use for school expenses as it pertains to our learning goals. Because of this, I am able to spend more on our unit studies than I otherwise would.  I believe many of these unit studies could be completed just as nicely with less funds and more creativity. I am extremely grateful for our stipend, and the way our state handles homeschooling families.}

Comments

[emily]

you've got a lovely blog situation going on here! thanks for the comment on my blog, and for the link! happy weekend.

[renee @ FIMBY]

what a great resource you've pulled together here!

[Cheyenne]

Happy late birthday!!

[Jessica Jones]

I am not seeing a place on your blog to subscribe. Will you let me know how to do this? If you'd email me personally I'd be sure to get the info.

Thanks!

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Well-written review! I saw his show in Paris last November. Similar set list, but without the cover songs. I am looking forward to seeing him in San Francisco this weekend. It's a shame Richard Hawley isn't along for the ride.

[Allison]

that nest is just so sweeeeeet !!! But where are the birdies ? :( I wish I had the time to read all the books you recommended but I guess I'll just buy the first one and I'll see how time will flow. Thanks

[Dvdfab cdkey]

I can see you have good knowledge on the topic. I enjoyed the read. Keep up the good work.