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Kindergarten Grade  Project 1 week

Bird Neighborhood: Hawks, Crows, Pigeons, and Seagulls

a
Updated
K-ESS3-1
K-2.AF.4.2
K-LS1-1
K-ESS2-1
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.4
+ 5 more
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Purpose

Students investigate, “How do birds use City Heights to stay safe, eat, drink, and rest?” through a schoolyard bird walk and sound safari, observing bird behavior, habitat features, and daily weather. They identify patterns in how hawks, crows, pigeons, and seagulls use trees, skies, and open spaces to find food, water, shelter, and space. Students sort and explain picture cards, then use daily reflection and teacher feedback to revise labeled or dictated bird scenes, a class bird map, and a habitat mural. They share these models and observations with families and classmates during a City Heights Bird Gallery Walk.

Learning goals

Students will observe hawks, crows, pigeons, and seagulls in City Heights and describe patterns in how birds use trees, skies, and open spaces to find food, water, shelter, and space. Students will use drawings, labels or dictation, picture-card sorts, a class map, and a habitat mural to model how birds stay safe, eat, drink, and rest. Students will record and share weather and bird observations, listen to peers, and explain their ideas during partner talks and the City Heights Bird Gallery Walk. Students will reflect daily and use teacher and peer feedback to revise their bird scenes, map placements, and picture-card choices.

Standards
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] K-ESS3-1 - Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants or animals (including humans) and the places they live.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] K-2.AF.4.2 - Use and share pictures, drawings, and/or writings of observations.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] K-LS1-1 - Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] K-ESS2-1 - Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.4 - Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.
Competencies
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.

Products

Students create bird scene drawings with labels or dictation showing how a City Heights bird stays safe, eats, drinks, and rests. They sort and explain picture cards, then add them to a class map showing how hawks, crows, pigeons, and seagulls use trees, skies, and open spaces for food, water, shelter, and space. Using observations from the schoolyard walk and sound safari, students combine their work into a classroom bird habitat mural with arrows connecting birds to their needs and revise it during daily teacher check-ins and reflections. Families and classmates view the drawings, map, picture-card displays, and mural during the City Heights Bird Gallery Walk.

Launch

Begin with a short “Bird Spotter Start-Up” walk around the schoolyard, noticing trees, open spaces, sky, and the day’s weather. Pause for a “City Heights Sound Safari” to listen for bird calls, watch bird movement, and share where birds might find food, water, shelter, space, and rest. Students sketch or dictate one observation, then place a bird picture card on a simple class map. Close by asking, “How do birds use City Heights to stay safe, eat, drink, and rest?”

Exhibition

Host a City Heights Bird Gallery Walk where families and classmates explore student bird scenes, the class bird map, picture-card displays, and the habitat mural. Students serve as guides, describing how hawks, crows, pigeons, and seagulls use trees, skies, and open spaces for food, water, shelter, and space. Visitors can ask questions and leave a drawing or note about one new thing they learned.