Color, song and movement  ….The wonder of winter birds... right outside our classroom window!

 We begin the new semester by creating a habitat for winter birds . We’ll get to know the local bird population as we distinguish birds by color, size, location, and behavior. Using our observation skills,the children will have the opportunity to match the birds at the classroom feeders to pictures of the birds in our classroom.

Woodworking/Creative Construction: Let’s build feeders, feeders, and more feeders!

 Science: We’ll take a closer look at feathers under a microscope .

              What did the owl eat? We will take a look inside an owl pellet.

            " What can I eat with this beak?" experiment.

                How do birds chew with no teeth? We create an experiment to find out.

                We create and string a baffle to help keep the birds from flying into our windows and hurting themseleves.

                What can we use to make a feeder?

Technology:

Online games,interactives and identification guides.( We will also create one of our own!)

We will also learn to use real binoculars and continue to use digital cameras.

Art: Feather painting

        Seed collages

        Sketches of birds

        Bird colors painting

        Bird sculptures

Sensory: Seeds and feathers in the sand and water table.

                We prepare sand and grit for the birds

Building/Blocks and Props: Building a habitat for winter bird replicas.

Dramatic Play/Music and Movement: Fly like a bird!

                         Follow the Leader: "Birds That Flock Together."

Math: Bird footprint match

           Bird watching chart

           Bird feeder watch and count

           Feather sorting

           Seed sorting

          Bird lotto and bingo games

           Bird memory match games

          Bird Feeder Count

Language Arts: Bird puppets

                           Bird watching book

                           Bird watching dictation

                           Bird stories

                           Bird books

                           Bird poetry

                          Words about birds

 Winter Bird Activities Slideshow:

 (Sung To: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Titmouse, Titmouse, fly around,
Up to the sky, down to the ground.
Titmouse, Titmouse, flap your wings.
Open your beak and sweetly sing.

I’m the Red Cardinal

( Sung to: "I'm a Little Teapot"

I’m the red cardinal

You have seen

I have two wings

And feathers to preen

On my head I have a crest

Come back in spring to see my nest!

Fingerplays:

 Here is the bird feeder. ( open left hand)

Here are seeds and crumbs.( hold up fingers on right hand)
Sprinkle them on and see what comes. ( wiggle fingers on right hand over left hand in “sprinking” motion)
One cardinal, one chickadee, one junco, one jay.(One at a time, tap the fingers on right hand  on to left hand)
Four of my bird friends are eating today.( hold up the four fingers on right hand)

 5 little chickadees perching on my door

1 flew away and then there were 4

4 little chickadees perching in a tree

1 flew away and then there were 3

3 little chickadees’ perching on my shoe

1 flew away and then there were 2

2 little chickadees resting in the sun

1 flew away and then there was 1

1 little chickadee looking for some fun

She flew away and then there were none.