C&NN Connect was created to support people and organizations working worldwide to reconnect children and nature.
1 member
1 member
1 member
1 member
1 member
Follow us on Twitter
Become a fan
Read our blog
Visit the Children & Nature Network Web site for news, resources, network initiatives, and the Movement Map.
Hi Nancy,
We just ordered 36 eggs from a farm in Texas and are incubating them. We "candled" them today on day 5 in a dark bathroom. The children were wild with excitement. I also have a box of eggs that show the development of the egg for each of the 21 days of incubation. I printed pictures and laminated them of the types of chickens and their eggs. I have about 30 Rainforest "sqeezy" birds with corresponding informational cards. I teach the birds and then blindfold the kids to see if they know the bird sounds. I believe this increases their auditory capabilities and it makes them more alert to the birds they are seeing on the playground. Walmart has inexpensive binoculars for about $5.00 and Oriental trading has them for about a dollar. Students can decorate them since they are made of cardboard. I also made a sticker book with pics of birds in our area and their corresponding stickers. When they find all the birds and finish adding all the stickers to their book they can go to the treasure box. We study rocks in winter as well. This can be done in colder months.
Ellen, what do you do with the chicks when they hatch? Do you raise them at the school?
With respect to binoculars, I have found that it's sometimes worth spending a bit more if you can afford it. I've gotten much cheaper binoculars in the past that didn't work very well.
Ellen Kahue said:Hi Nancy,
We just ordered 36 eggs from a farm in Texas and are incubating them. We "candled" them today on day 5 in a dark bathroom. The children were wild with excitement. I also have a box of eggs that show the development of the egg for each of the 21 days of incubation. I printed pictures and laminated them of the types of chickens and their eggs. I have about 30 Rainforest "sqeezy" birds with corresponding informational cards. I teach the birds and then blindfold the kids to see if they know the bird sounds. I believe this increases their auditory capabilities and it makes them more alert to the birds they are seeing on the playground. Walmart has inexpensive binoculars for about $5.00 and Oriental trading has them for about a dollar. Students can decorate them since they are made of cardboard. I also made a sticker book with pics of birds in our area and their corresponding stickers. When they find all the birds and finish adding all the stickers to their book they can go to the treasure box. We study rocks in winter as well. This can be done in colder months.
Location means everything--this is the perfect time to get kids outdoors and into the Everglades. The dry season in South Florida means cooler weather, fewer mosquitoes and snow birds (both kinds).
I am fairly new to teaching and very new to bringing nature into weekly lessons. My students are second (or third) language learners in grade 1-4. For the past month I've brought plants in for observation, but this week (if the rain stops) we'll head outside to search for spring. I'm hoping to make connections to what we have been learning about language and to look for nouns, verbs and adjectives in the park.
I was focusing my attention on the ground, but now am inspired to add bird watching.
That sounds like a great idea.
Laura Lamarre Anderson said:I am fairly new to teaching and very new to bringing nature into weekly lessons. My students are second (or third) language learners in grade 1-4. For the past month I've brought plants in for observation, but this week (if the rain stops) we'll head outside to search for spring. I'm hoping to make connections to what we have been learning about language and to look for nouns, verbs and adjectives in the park.
I was focusing my attention on the ground, but now am inspired to add bird watching.
Hi Laura!
It sounds like you have quite a challenging job and I commend you. My niece just found the most wonderful website with lots of information and ideas for school projects (including ideas for multi-lingual classes) and I thought you and the others might like to check it out. It's EastTennesseeWildflowers.com and it has a teacher's resource page with all kinds of cool "stuff" including birds, mushrooms and lichens, mammals, just to name a few.
Another good website is the Greatbackyardbirdcount.com, which has bird calls and also activities for kids.
I hope you will find these useful.
Susie Mote
Ellen Kahue said:That sounds like a great idea.
Laura Lamarre Anderson said:I am fairly new to teaching and very new to bringing nature into weekly lessons. My students are second (or third) language learners in grade 1-4. For the past month I've brought plants in for observation, but this week (if the rain stops) we'll head outside to search for spring. I'm hoping to make connections to what we have been learning about language and to look for nouns, verbs and adjectives in the park.
I was focusing my attention on the ground, but now am inspired to add bird watching.
© 2019 Created by amy pertschuk.
Powered by