Oral Presentations - Session 2D: UC 331
A RAPTOR-OUS EDUCATION: USING BIRDS OF PREY IN INTEGRATIVE ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Erick Greene
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Biological Sciences
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Birds are all around us, yet how much do you know about them? Nature education is lacking in America, and, as a result, our children grow-up with a feeling of disconnected from the world around them. Recent publications, including Richard Louv’s book, Last Child in the Woods, has drawn scientific and public interest to the topic of environmental education. Much of our children’s environmental education is focused worlds away instead of on local issues in their neighborhood. This has driven me to design a curriculum educating elementary school children about birds, something they see everyday. I have worked closely with several elementary school, middle school, and environmental educators to design a nine-week long curriculum focusing or raptors (birds of prey). The material discusses the evolution of birds from reptiles, what makes birds unique, and specific qualities of raptors. However, it also intertwines with everyday subjects such as mathematics, geography, art, writing, and other subjects. Students can follow a raptor that has been tagged with a satellite transmitter as it migrates to South America, all the while studying the culture of the countries the bird passes through. Students can use basic mathematics to calculate how many miles a raptor migrates in one day. They can also observe chick development from a nest camera every morning. The segment ends in a group project researching a specific raptor and writing a non-fiction information pamphlet to share with their classmates. All these activities are designed to promote interactive learning and leave children feeling connected to the world around them.
Category
Life Sciences
A RAPTOR-OUS EDUCATION: USING BIRDS OF PREY IN INTEGRATIVE ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM
UC 331
Birds are all around us, yet how much do you know about them? Nature education is lacking in America, and, as a result, our children grow-up with a feeling of disconnected from the world around them. Recent publications, including Richard Louv’s book, Last Child in the Woods, has drawn scientific and public interest to the topic of environmental education. Much of our children’s environmental education is focused worlds away instead of on local issues in their neighborhood. This has driven me to design a curriculum educating elementary school children about birds, something they see everyday. I have worked closely with several elementary school, middle school, and environmental educators to design a nine-week long curriculum focusing or raptors (birds of prey). The material discusses the evolution of birds from reptiles, what makes birds unique, and specific qualities of raptors. However, it also intertwines with everyday subjects such as mathematics, geography, art, writing, and other subjects. Students can follow a raptor that has been tagged with a satellite transmitter as it migrates to South America, all the while studying the culture of the countries the bird passes through. Students can use basic mathematics to calculate how many miles a raptor migrates in one day. They can also observe chick development from a nest camera every morning. The segment ends in a group project researching a specific raptor and writing a non-fiction information pamphlet to share with their classmates. All these activities are designed to promote interactive learning and leave children feeling connected to the world around them.