Building Literacy Through Nature Resources
Resources and links for the Building Literacy Through Nature curriculum.
- The eBird Essentials course introduces you to the eBird project and provides tips and tools for using it. We recommend you enroll and complete this free, online course before starting this curriculum. It takes 2-3 hours to complete.
- Tips for Taking Students Outside.
Lesson 1: What Makes a Bird a Bird? Students learn the features that make birds unique. Then, they meet four local bird species. Finally, students conclude with an introduction to citizen science.
- Activity 1: Introducing Birds!
- Bird Cam Clips: Ithaca Winter Feeders and Red-tailed Hawk. The Cornell Lab has several live cams and each has highlight clips on their page.
- Activity 3: Meet Four Common Birds
- All About Birds Online Field Guide is an extensive, easy-to-use guide for identifying birds found in North America. The guide also includes information on the habitat needs of each species, so that you can make your space more habitable for the birds in your area.
- Activity 4: You Can Be a Scientist
- The You Can Do Participatory Science video explains the basics of participatory science and how anyone can participate. Note: if you have a previous version of the curriculum, the text will say “You Can Be A Citizen Scientist”. We’ve updated the video and language, but general content remains the same.
- See past entries and live eBird submissions with this map.
Lesson 2: Size and Shape: Students learn that there are many different kinds of birds. Each bird can be identified by unique size and shape.
- Teacher background: Watch the video and determine which parts, if any, you would like to share with your class.
- Inside Birding: Size and Shape video introduces the first key on how to better identify birds.
- Activity 2: Introduce Silhouettes
- Bird groups silhouettes (blank and labeled)
Blank bird group silhouettes.Labeled bird group silhouettes.
- Bird groups silhouettes (blank and labeled)
Blank bird group silhouettes.
Labeled bird group silhouettes.Lesson 3: Color Pattern: Students continue to identify birds, now with color pattern and plumage. This allows them to notice more specific species and different aged birds.
- Teacher Background: Watch the video and determine which parts, if any, you would like to share with your class.
- Inside Birding: Color Pattern video explains how you can use color and plumage as a bird ID tool.
- Activity 4: Focus Bird
- Download these sample bird group outlines for your students to color in.
Lesson 4: Behavior and Habitat: Students discover what makes a bird’s habitat (food, water, shelter etc.). They learn how examining habitats is important to identifying a bird.
- Teacher Background: Watch the video and determine which parts, if any, you would like to share with your class.
- Inside Birding: Habitat video introduces the powerful role that habitat plays in identifying birds.
- Reflect and Evaluate:
- All About Birds website will have curated videos but may not show the behaviors you are looking for.
- Macaulay Library will have lots of videos to chose from. Type in a species you know, and then click the video icon (top left). You may want to sort by best quality rather than recently uploaded (an option on the top, right-hand side of the website). There are also filters that may be useful to explore.
Lesson 5: Becoming eBird Scientists: Students collects data that help scientists understand birds.
- Activity 3: eBird Walk
- You can log your sightings on the eBird submit page.
- See your entry light up on the live eBird submission map.
- Activity 4: Exploring eBird
- The eBird species map allows you to search for eBird sightings by species near your school.