Lesson Plan

Birds, Brains, and Binoculars

Students noting bird behavior — Students participating in Birds, Brains, and Binoculars
National Park Service

Overall Rating

Grade Level:: Kindergarten-Eighth Grade
Subject:: Biology: Animals, Biology: Plants, Botany, Civic Engagement, Climate, Climate Change, Conservation, Ecological Engineering, Ecology, Environment, Marine Biology, Meteorology, Oceans, Wildlife Biology, Wildlife Management, Writing
Duration:: 90 minutes
Group Size:: Up to 36
Setting:: in the park
National/State Standards:: K Units 1, 2, 3
1 Units 1
2 unit 3
3 unit 4
4 unit 1, 2, 4
5 unit 4
6 unit 3, 4
8 unit 4

Overview

This citizen science program aims to collect important data on bird behavior relating to the habitat around them. Students come to the refuge and meet the Ranger and Education Science Ambassador, then take a five minute walk through the refuge to the examination vista. Behavior of each bird is noted along with the surface the behavior is occurring on, such as water, vegetation, or air.