Bird Songs, Nests, and Nature Connections

Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

Students will be able to observe and identify local birds by using color, size, shape, behavior, and sound clues from the schoolyard and park.

Students will be able to read and retell bird stories, poems, and informational texts about birds, nests, and trees to build phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Students will be able to explain how birds use songs, calls, and movement to communicate and stay safe.

Students will be able to describe how seasons change bird behavior, movement, and habitat needs.

Students will be able to compare bird nests and human homes by explaining how each provides safety, shelter, and care.

Students will be able to use observations, sketches, labels, and simple writing to communicate what they notice about birds and nature.

Students will be able to give and use feedback to revise a bird guide page, nest model, or museum explanation so it better matches what others need to understand.

Products

individual

Bird Observation Field Journal with Sketches, Labels, and Reflection Page

Each student creates a field journal page set that shows firsthand bird observations from walks, read-alouds, and class investigations. The journal includes sketches, labels, sound words, a short retell or dictated response, and one reflection about how birds or nature make them feel.

team

Neighborhood Bird Guide and Bird-and-Nest Museum Display

Small teams help build a shared bird guide and museum display that explains local birds, their communication, seasonal changes, nests, and habitat needs. The display uses student evidence, revised pages, and a simple explanation for families and community partners.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies	Effective Communication	I can listen during bird walks and conversations, then tell what I noticed using simple words or a short sentence, sharing one feeling and one question I have.	I can share my ideas clearly with a partner or small group by using my journal pictures and labels to retell what I saw (bird, nest/home, and seasonal changes) and describe how it sounds or moves.	I can communicate my learning with others by explaining my sketches and notes in more detail, adding sound words, captions, and an organized oral message for our class bird guide or museum display.	I can present and revise my communication for an audience by using feedback to improve my captions/recording and by giving a thoughtful docent-style explanation that connects bird communication and nest/home care to how we care for our own homes and community.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Critical Thinking & Problem Solving	I can use what I notice (sounds, movement, colors, and simple sketches) to make a basic guess about a bird or its home during our bird walks and museum work.	I can ask and answer simple questions about birds by using evidence from my journal observations (call/sound words, labels, and drawings) to explain how birds communicate and care for their homes.	I can compare my observations across days/seasons and revise my thinking by using feedback and evidence from our class chart, nest models, and bird guide pages to solve “how do we know?” questions.	I can independently connect patterns from multiple sources (bird walks, read-alouds, partner talks, and models) to propose and test ideas for our neighborhood bird guide and museum, explaining my reasoning with clear evidence.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Content Expertise	In kindergarten, I can draw and point to the bird, tree, nest, or habitat I notice during our bird walk and tell one simple detail from my picture (like “It has ____” or “I heard a ____”).	In 1st grade, I can use my bird journal pages (sketches, labels, sound words, and seasonal notes) to describe how a bird looks or sounds and what it is doing, using evidence from what I observed with my class.	In 2nd grade, I can explain how and why a bird’s behaviors match its habitat by using multiple pieces of evidence from observations, read-alouds, and expert talks (like calls, movement, nests, and seasonal changes) and connecting them to how homes can feel safe.	In 2nd grade, I can apply what I know to contribute to our neighborhood bird guide or museum exhibit by adding accurate bird facts and home/habitat explanations, and I can revise my work using feedback so it helps visitors learn and care.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Collaboration	K: I can work with a partner or small group to help make a nest or habitat model using safe materials and taking turns with my group’s tools.	1st: I can work in a small group to share ideas, follow a group plan for the bird guide or museum piece, and take turns speaking and listening while building together.	2nd: I can collaborate to co-create and revise our shared bird guide or museum display by contributing my observations, asking for feedback, and adjusting my work based on my group’s ideas.	I can lead collaboration by helping my group make decisions, resolve a disagreement kindly, and combine everyone’s strengths to improve our neighborhood bird guide or museum presentation using peer and expert feedback.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Academic Mindset	I can share what I notice, feel, and wonder during bird walks and read-alouds by using drawings, sound words, and simple sentences or phrases about birds, trees, nests, and seasons.	I can describe my thinking as I learn (what I thought before and what I think now) by adding labels, seasonal notes, and a short reflection to my field journal and participating in class conversations and sharing at our museum rehearsal.	I can take pride in improving my bird guide, nest model, or recording by using feedback from teachers, peers, and Fountain Creek Nature Center experts to revise my work and explain how my ideas about bird homes and community care are changing.	I can sustain my learning and confidence by setting a personal goal for the museum (like practicing my speaking or adding clearer details) and independently checking my work against a checklist, then reflecting on how caring for birds connects to caring for my home, feelings, and community.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Self Directed Learning	With help, I can use simple teacher directions and a checklist to choose what to draw, write, or record in my bird journal, and I can finish my part of the museum work.	I can use a class model and my own observations to decide what to add to my journal or guide (like a sound word, label, or seasonal note), and I can make one revision after feedback.	I can set a personal goal for my bird guide, nest model, or oral presentation, monitor my progress during rehearsals, and revise my work using feedback from a peer, teacher, or Fountain Creek Nature Center expert.	I can independently improve my museum piece by asking questions, using multiple sources (notes, read-alouds, expert feedback), and using evidence from my sketches/labels to guide revisions and strengthen how I explain bird care and habitat connections.