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INVITATION How can we motivate students to explore the migration patterns of birds? How can we help them discover the science behind flight motion? What approaches can we utilize to allow students to make migration applicable to their own lives? How do we let them see that migration has already affected their lives? |
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TASKS Students learn about migration and track the migration habits of a particular bird species. The teacher develops games that involve students' role-playing the flight process of birds. Students assimilate and learn the relationship between flight and migration. Once the students have learned about migration, they create a Kid Pix Studio Deluxe, HyperStudio, or mPOWER presentation representing the cycle of bird migration, beginning with the life of a newly hatched bird. |
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TOOLS Computers; the Internet; Sherlock. AppleWorks, Art Mania 12,000; Kid Pix Studio Deluxe; PageMill. HyperStudio or mPOWER (optional); iMovie (optional). |
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INTERACTIONS Students work with the teacher to discover the science behind flight through classroom discussion and Internet research on birds. The teacher develops materials to move students to individual Internet research and an investigation on the flight of animals. Students return to the classroom to work with the teacher on bird flight activities and are then introduced to the idea of migration. Students study migration with the teacher, continue research on the Internet, and then pair up and create Kid Pix Studio Deluxe, HyperStudio, or mPOWER presentations depicting their observation of the migration habits of a particular species of bird. |
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STANDARDS To identify the curriculum standards for your state that correlate to this student project, select the state in the popup menu below and then click the Go button. View Detailed Standards in |
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SITUATIONS The teacher works with the students in the classroom, setting an atmosphere for bird flight and migration. Students move to the computer lab and use Sherlock or preset bookmarks to explore the world of birds, flight, and migration. The teacher meets with the students as a class to discuss the elements of migration; students then pair up and decide with the teacher which species of bird to research and track. Students work together in pairs to develop a Kid Pix Studio Deluxe, HyperStudio, or mPOWER presentation that depicts the migration cycle of the species they researched. This project will take approximately two weeks. |
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ASSESSMENT In order to find out what students know about basic design, the teacher assesses prior knowledge with a brainstorming activity and Internet research about birds, flight, and migration. Students share information they have regarding their knowledge of birds. During the project, assessment focuses on student retention; association and development skills; and the final project based on students' knowledge and creative presentation. What did they learn and how did they apply this to their presentation? The teacher gives students a checklist to use as they develop their projects so they know the project expectations. |
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The migration of birds had its beginning in times so remote that its origins have been largely obscured and can be interpreted now only in terms of present conditions. The causes underlying migration are exceedingly complex, but bird migration is still one of the most fascinating subjects in the study of our natural environment. With the use of new technologies, we are beginning to realize the benefits of studying migration. Radar alone has aided tremendously in documenting flock size, heights, and speeds of migration as well as the descriptions and locations of patterns and routes of specific migrants in relation to aircraft flight lanes. The widespread use of the Internet along with real-time video streaming has revolutionized the science, but a simple question remains: How can we engage young people in a focused study of this phenomenal occurrence? During this project, students will move through an exploration of birds, motion of flight, and the idea and rationale behind bird migration. Students will research the information on the Internet and then pair up to develop a Kid Pix Studio Deluxe, HyperStudio, or mPOWER project on the study of a particular species of bird. |
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Phase 1: Virtual birds Introduce this project by creating a bird-filled atmosphere in the classroom: nature music with birdcalls and a multimedia presentation containing pictures, sounds, animations, and video clips of birds in flight will help set the mood. Brainstorm with students about their knowledge of birds, flying, and migration. The brainstorming list should be created using Inspiration, putting students' names next to the items they add to the list. |
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Phase 2: Bird watching Students work in the computer lab and visit previously bookmarked Internet sites on bird, flight, and migration. While at the Web sites, students look for pictures of birds and save them, with teacher assistance if necessary. During this phase, it should simply be an exploration and exposure to birds, flight, and migration. Allow students to choose a particular species of bird to research, or if time does not permit, suggest the class follow the migration habits of a particular species. Web sites with movement and video clips will be most useful for very young students. |
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Phase 3: Flying birds Ask students to open Kid Pix Studio Deluxe, HyperStudio, or mPOWER and create a picture of how they think birds are able to fly. Then discuss with the class the science basics behind flight motion and the physical development of birds. Allow students to share their paintings with the rest of the class and post their paintings on the Internet. |
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Phase 4: Moving birds Share stories about migration and why it is important. There are many good books, videos, and Web sites that help to explain this phenomenon. (See the "Resources" section at the end of this project.) Ask students to brainstorm again why they think migration is important, or simply, why it happens. Ideas should be created and posted in Inspiration so students can watch the list develop. Now move the discussion to how migration affects people. How many students have had to move? How did they feel? How did they adapt to their new environment? Post the responses and challenge students to find any similarities to bird migration. |
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Phase 5: Bird stories In pairs, students use Kid Pix Studio Deluxe, HyperStudio, or mPOWER to create what they see as a bird's life from the time of hatching to its first migration. During this creation, students should visualize what they think the birds will go through: Where will they go? What will they see? What problems will they have? What food will they eat? Allow students plenty of time to create this final project and allow time for show and tell. Projects should be saved and posted on the Internet for the community to visit. |
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PREPARATION
Locate and bookmark relevant Web sites to focus student research. Students should have basic knowledge of how to spell key words to help them use Sherlock. If a student is not at a spelling level, bookmarked Internet sites need to be used. Students should have a working knowledge of Kid Pix Studio Deluxe, HyperStudio, or mPOWER, or resources should be available to guide students through their project. Meet with the school Web master to reserve space on the Web site so that student projects can be shared with the community. Prepare a sample presentation for students to view. |
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OPTIONS AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Obtain bird eggs and help students to incubate and hatch them. Invite an expert on birds to discuss with the students what they can do to help protect the natural environment. Bring in approved feathers for students to hold and observe. Create paper airplanes to help aid the discussion of flight. Show humorous videos on how difficult is was for humans to try and mirror flight during the early stages. Share student projects at an open house celebrating flight and migration. Take the students to a local habitat that houses migrating birds. Videotape the trip and create a desktop movie using iMovie. If available, bring an iBook to gather research information. |
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BOOKS The Atlas of Bird Migration: Tracing the Great Journeys of the World's Birds by Jonathan Elphick (Editor) Baby Birds: Growing and Flying (Secrets of the Animal World) by Eulalia Garcia Birds: Masters of Flight (Secrets Animal World) by Eulalia Garcia Flight of the Golden Plover: The Amazing Migration Between Hawaii and Alaska by Debbie S. Miller The Flight of the Red Knot: A Natural History Account of a Small Bird's Annual Migration from the Arctic Circle to the Tip of South America and Back by Brian Harrington The Flight of the Snow Geese by Deborah King (Illustrator) Flight Strategies of Migrating Hawks by Paul Kerlinger Hawk, I'm Your Brother by Byrd Baylor Honk! Honk! by Mick Manning How Birds Fly by David Goodnow How Birds Fly (Birds Up Close) by Bobbie Kalman How Birds Fly (Nature's Mysteries) by Nick Williams How Birds Migrate by Paul Kerlinger How Do Birds Find Their Way by Roma Gans Late Little Robin by Howard Goldsmith Storks: Majestic Migrators (Secrets of the Animal World) by Eulalia Garcia |
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INTERNET RESOURCES Migrating Birds Know No Boundaries
Where are the birds? Migration across South Carolina
Wings On The Wind
Migration of Birds
Hot List for Birds and Bird Migration
The Fascinating Migration of Wild Birds
Migration Monitoring Program
The threat from global warming
Bird Migration
Migration of Birds
Migration Flyways: From Alaska to Our Backyards
Spring Migration of Birds in Nebraska
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