Birds

< Museum Kits

Teacher's Guide

Summary of Contents

ACTIVITY ONE - BIRD IDENTIFICATION

Part 1 - Learning Objective:
Students build a bird feeder to attract birds. Students observe and record the visiting bird types, as well as documenting their eating behaviors.

Part 1 - Birdfeeder OBIS Activity Contents:
Birdfeeder OBIS Activity
      3 Equipment Cards (template)
      1 Set of Action Cards (template)
National Audubon Society First Field Guide Birds
10 Waterfowl Identification in the Central Flyway
National Geographic Society Field Guide to the Birds of North America
3 Golden Guide Birds
3 Peterson First Guide to Birds of North America
Who's Who in Great Plains Songbirds
UNSM Museum Notes #95 Windows of Death: A Look at Bird Strikes
15 How Birds Get a Living reference sheet (see Bird Adaptations)
America's Bald Eagle poster
Endangered Means There is Still Time poster
2 Help Support Nebraska's Non-game Wildlife poster
Sandhill Cranes' Spring Migration to Central Platte River Valley poster
Support Nebraska's Non-game Wildlife Fund poster

Part 2 - Learning Objective:
Students observe bird size, shape, characteristics and field marks. Students draw and record observations, using field guides to identify birds.

Part 2 - UNSM Using a Field Guide Contents:
Field guides:
      National Audubon Society First Field Guide Birds
      10 Waterfowl Identification in the Central Flyway
      National Geographic Society Field Guide to the Birds of North America
      3 Golden Guide Birds
      3 Peterson First Guide to Birds of North America
Bird Identification UNSM Activity:
      1 Field Notes worksheet (template)
      1 Field Sketch worksheet (template)

---

ACTIVITY TWO - BIRD BEHAVIOR

Part 1 - Jay Play Learning Objective:
Students observe and record bird food color preference behavior.

Part 1 - Jay Play Contents:
Jay Play OBIS Activity:
     1 Sheet of Action Cards (template)

Part 2 - For the Birds Learning Objective:
Students provide a feeding station to observe and identify eating behaviors.

Part 2 - For the Birds Contents:
For the Birds OBIS Activity:
     1 Sheet of Action Cards (template)
     Equipment Card (template)

Part 3 - Bird Sounds Learning Objective:
Students identify birds by their sounds and create their own methods of representing birdcalls and songs.

Part 3 - Bird Sounds Contents:
Bird Sounds OBIS Activity
Bird Sounds audio tape
Describing Bird Sounds (template)
Peterson Field Guides Eastern/Central Birding by Ear
Birds of the Backyard Winter into Spring video

---

ACTIVITY THREE - BIRD NESTS 

Part 1 - Bird Nests OBIS Activity Learning Objective:
Students build bird nests using a wide range of materials. Students create a variety of nests in various shapes and sizes, appropriate for different types of birds.

Part 1 - Bird Nests OBIS Activity Contents:
Bird Nests OBIS Activity
     Nesting Notes (template)
     Equipment Card (template)

Part 2 - UNSM In a Nest Learning Objective:
Students examine nests and record observations about the type of bird using the nests and the environments in which they could be found.

Part 2 - UNSM In a Nest Contents:
In a Nest UNSM Activity
National Audubon Society First Field Guide Birds
Golden Guide Birds
Peterson First Guide to Birds of North America
Who's Who in Great Plains Songbirds
Eyewitness Books Bird
Hanging bird nest
Bowl shaped bird nest

---

ACTIVITY FOUR - BIRD MIGRATION 

Learning Objective:
Students discover the Sandhill Cranes' migration path through the central flyway by using scientific data and mapping skills.

Contents:
Migration Path UNSM Activity
     5 Data sheets
20 Migration data sets (5 sheets)
20 Small maps of North America
Stickers (blue, green, red)
Sandhill Crane-World Migrant video
Sandhill Cranes Wings Over the Platte
UNSM Notes #93 The Cranes of Nebraska
Large map of the World
Sandhill Cranes Spring Migration poster
Wonders of Migration "Background Information"

---

ACTIVITY FIVE - TRACKS AND TRACES 

Part 1 - NWF Flappers Learning Objective:
Students investigate wingbeats of a variety of bird types and discover the reasons for these differences.

Part 1 - NWF Flappers Contents:
Flapper NWF Activity
Birds, Birds, Birds - NatureScope

Part 2 - NWF Fill the Bill Learning Objective:
Students will use tools to demonstrate the adaptations of bird beaks.

Part 2 - NWF Fill the Bill Contents:
Fill the Bill NWF Activity
Birds, Birds, Birds - NatureScope

Part 3 - NWF Feet are Neat Learning Objective:
Students create bird feet and explain why their adaptations allow for survival.

Part 3 - NWF Feet are Neat Contents:
Feet are Neat NWF Activity
Birds, Birds, Birds - NatureScope