Bird Watching

Children dream of flying! Adding the graceful flutter of wings, the beautiful singing and stunning feathers into a project about this diverse group of animals is sure to capture the imagination and curiosity of your students. From eagles and macaws to ostriches, flamingos and peacocks, all birds share some fascinating features. While not all birds can fly, they all have wings and feathers. Penguins are great swimmers, using their paddle-like wings to swim through the water. However, the tiny wings are useless for flying. Ostriches are famous for their remarkable speed on land, yet, they cannot fly with their small wings and weak chests.



Whether it is pigeons in the cities or penguins in Antarctica - birds have adapted to a wide range of different environments from arid deserts and lush rainforests to bustling and noisy cities. Adaptations to various environments are a great topic to explore using a fact booklet. Birds can often be found in local parks and gardens so it is a great opportunity for kids to study and learn more about these creatures. Looking for local birds and using an identification sheet to see which birds they have spotted is a fun activity, especially on warm summer days. 



An interesting project is to compare different bird species, exploring birds’ diverse characteristics such as size, beak and body shape. Make a poster ranking birds by size:  birds vary greatly in size from the smallest bee hummingbird to the largest bird the ostrich. A poster with beautiful birds makes a great classroom display. Feather colors are also a fascinating topic, the perfect inspiration for an art project. 

Do you have any dinosaur enthusiasts in your classroom? Birds have a fascinating history being descendants of theropod dinosaurs. These dinosaurs had feathers and early birds, Archaeopteryx, had teeth. There may be discussions about exactly how birds evolved from dinosaurs. However, several fossils have now been found that demonstrate that non-flying dinosaurs and birds are related. A great topic to explore. 



Happy Summer and Happy Bird Spotting!

All resources are found in my store.

 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Thebeezyteacher

Ring those bells for 2024!

A brand new year. I love this time of the year. Time to reflect and make plans to create new memories in the classroom. A great way to plan activities is to use special/national days as a guide for topics. January is filled with interesting days that can help you create a classroom that is inclusive and respectful. 

I think we all know that January is Martin Luther King Day. His birthday is celebrated this year on the 16 January. 

Yet, how many of you know when National Draw a Dinosaur Day is? Select special/national days celebrations based on your students’ interests and representation. If you have some dinosaur enthusiasts in your classroom they will love to celebrate these fascinating animals on the 30 January. Use a How to Draw Dinosaur resource to celebrate this special day. 

At the beginning of the new year National Bird is celebrated - 5 January. The aim behind this special day is to raise awareness and celebrate the beauty of birds. A bird fact booklet is perfect to ignite an interest in these animals. The booklet contains a wide variety of birds,  from hummingbirds to ostriches. On the 20 January you can use the penguin fact booklet to mark Penguin Day. These  aquatic flightless birds are always a popular topic. 

The day after MLK day is Ben Franklin Day - 17 January. This remarkable man was an inventor, scientist, as well as an American statesman! Plenty of things to explore and learn using a fact book. 

Another special day is Squirrel Appreciation Day. Check out my best selling Squirrel's New Year's Resolution. This storybook companion is perfect for 21 January celebrations. 



Starting January with asking your students to share their winter traditions, while you explore birds, dinosaurs, squirrels and famous people sets the tone for an exciting 2024!