If it isn't obvious yet - I love a good STEAM unit based in nature, especially if it gets you and the kids outside! This lesson and resources includes:
Integrative teaching ideas for various content areas
Some of my favorite books for teaching about backyard birds and nest building
Tips and Ideas for teaching this lesson
Preview of free resources that are available to newsletter subscribers!
Teaching about birds and nests can be a great way to incorporate several content areas into one series of lessons. As always, literacy and math can be easily incorporated, however you can also dip into the following subjects as well:
Social-emotional skills: perseverance, hard working, teamwork
Social Studies: studying birds in difference areas of the world and any ties culturally to birds can be explored
Physical Education & Movement: Move like a bird, making a life sized bird nest from recycled supplies
Music: Listen and matching activities with bird songs and bird calls
I researched and found a very large stack of wonderful books for this topic (many listed in the Digging Deeper PDF). However, ultimately, in a Junior Scientist class with 3/4 year olds, I opted to use Birds by Carme Lemniscates and Nests (above) and for the 4/5 year olds, I used Look Inside a Robin's Nest and Nests (above). Look Inside has a really great series of photos that I did reference and use with the 3/4 year olds too, but with the 4/5 year olds, I was able to dig deep and have discussions on almost every page. Birds is a fun, simple, lyrical story. And finally, Nests has real photos a large variety of types of nests.
If you can get your hands on a real nest - do it! This robin nest is an absolute gem that the center I was at had in their curriculum cabinet. It was such a great way to show the kids a real nest and talk about the materials in it and how the robin mama probably created it. We also felt the inside so that the kids could see how STRONG they get the nest.
This nest making activity is simple, fun and engaging. Find details and suggestions for doing it in the Digging Deeper PDF.
Tips on lesson discussion:
Introduce the idea of "I wonder" - asking kids what they wonder about what you've talked about, what they see in the book, what the nest has etc.
Introduce vocabulary by having the kids repeat the word after you and then simplify what it means as age appropriate. Repeat that word a few times, if you are able to, throughout the lesson and reiterate the meaning each time. Words I introduce with this lesson come up in books or conversation, but here are some:
forage - gathering, finding what you need
life cycle
engineer - building, creating
laying eggs vs. live birth
Ask questions, don't immediately give answers - try to give hints or help direct them towards problem solving questions they have
Offer encouragement and participations as much as possible, like commenting on their nest, asking why or how they make it a certain way, and showing your own curiosity about questions as they arise.
PREVIEW: Digging Deeper & Bird Hunt Activity - All four pages of content and extension ideas are available in our Free Resources library, which you can access once subscribed to our newsletter (sign up at the top or bottom of this post).
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Until next time - keep exploring, keep asking questions & have fun,
Veronica
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