Birds and Wildflowers Box
You will find the following educational props and information that will enhance your bird and wildflower learning experience:
Identiflyer - a device that plays bird calls and songs
Bird identification books
Bird watchers scavenger hunt form
Folder with many laminated bird photos
Wildflower guide book
Folder with many pictures of wildflowers and grasses
SOLs that correlate to this activity box include: Sci 4.4, 4.5, 4.8
An Example Guideline
(Here is one way of running a station like this. Be creative but here's some ideas on how to get started)
Start off with listening to the sounds of the area. Can you hear bird calls? Does anyone recognize what bird it is? Tell them that McCormick Farm is a great birding location. Birding clubs love to visit here? Ask them why do they think that is. What do birds need? cover, trees, food, space, etc. One special reason birders love this place is the water. This attracks in waterfowl and migrator birds. You can talk about migration and see if anyone knows some species that migrate. Also there is night migration where some fly at night and feed during the day. This location is part of a shelterbelt and birders love to watch the hawks flying south.
Then you can talk about the variety of species here. Look at the species counted sheet. Talk about the range and variety. Show the pictures and you can talk about some adaptations. Let the kids try the duck calls and the Identiflyer.
Next there is a sheet with what birders look for in order to identify birds. Point out some features and then hand out some bird ID books for the kids to look at. You may send them out on a quest to look for birds and get them to observe behaviors. Then at the end, bring them back together and see what unique things people saw.
Tips:
If you send them on a quest, you may want to pair quiet kids up with loud kids and separate friends. This should keep them more on task.
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