This week the 1-2 kids took on the springtime challenge of our songbirds - staking out a territory and building a nest. While we wanted this to be an authentic experience, we did let them use their hands to construct the nest (our feathered friends use their beaks and feet!).
Kids gathered twigs of varying sizes to make the frame of the nest and then lined it with softer stuff like grasses and moss. Some kids even made their own mud to use as an adhesive agent to hold things together. A few interesting found items, like a stray plastic band, were also incorporated into the mix of natural materials.
Many groups tested their design by putting in a few rock "eggs" to see if their nest had enough space to cradle such precious cargo. One group took this test even further to see if they could fit on the nest to keep those eggs warm! All kids were very proud of their group's nest. They are showcased below, both in process and as a completed project.
This was a fun learning experience that gave us a new appreciation for the effort involved in this yearly endeavor for our birds. No wonder so many try to return to a previous year's nest to fix-up rather than having to start from scratch!
Enjoy the pictures below! If you are ever in our outdoor classroom space, be sure to check them out!
No comments:
Post a Comment