Recycle your Christmas cards
|
|
RSPB Big Schools Birdwatch...
Help children learn about nature |
RSPB Big Schools Birdwatch ... to help children learn about nature
While over half a million people counted birds in their gardens & local parks in January for the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch, schools were busy with children getting in on the act too with their very own Big Schools Birdwatch (in January too). Children were able to get involved in many activities, including counting species of birds.
|
Teachers who didn't know their blackbird from their magpie had access to resources on the RSPB web site, including descriptions of popular species traditionally seen in playgrounds. They also had access to a whole range of information about birds (e.g. how the weather affects birds, feeding birds) and activities to do (e.g. make a speedy bird cake, make a recycled feeder, local nature reserves to visit, wildlife action awards).
What did the children do?
This event gave children the chance to do things they possibly wouldn't ordinarily do....
- competed to identify birds
- held a special assembly
- made bird feeders
- used binoculars
- created art work
- learnt how to identify and count birds
- gave them a real purpose for learning
- increased their motivation
- came into school to say what birds they'd seen in their gardens
- made wallcharts, factfiles and birdwatching guides for others in the school to read
- listened to the birds
- listened to the bird song on the RSPB site
- watched the birds eat the cake they made for them
- held a video conference with a school in Mississippi and saw the inside of their woodpeckers' nest
|
 Both for children aged 4-8
|
Teachers used the event for cross curricular teaching.
Literary work focused on birds; one teacher reported "we used the information we collected to carry out investigations in maths, drawing graphs, drawing conclusions from our findings, to disucss probability" while another said that taking part in the event "helped us to our green flag status"
Some 90,000 children took part in 2,000 schools and the results speak for themselves. They just show the importance of charities such as the RSPB and the role they can play in helping teachers to educate young people - and not just about nature!
The results of the children's efforts showed that the blackbird was the most frequent visitor to schools; followed by the starling, carrion crow, woodpigeon, black-headed gull, house sparrow, blue tit, common gull, chaffinch and magpie.
The outcomes of events like the Big Schools Birdwatch must be taken in a wider context, though. If you look at teachers' feedback, it shows that events like this really can help educate children about our wildlife.
|
A knowledge of nature helps people feel that they belong
The comments I liked the most, however, just show how important learning about nature is for children. One teacher commented that the event "gave them a pride in their environment"; the children felt part of their community, and felt as sense of citizenship. They better understand their place in the world.
|
|
All round, this event gives win-wins.
- Children were motivated to learn about nature and the environment and enjoyed their lessons. Teachers were able to take the event cross curricular and use the resources off the RSPB web site and learn more about nature themeslves
- Parents were motivated to get involved
- The birds benefited from increased feeding at a cold time of year.
-
And the RSPB surely got a higher profile across everyone in the community, which helped to promote the amazing work it does.
Education really works - have you read the story about children in India who helped a donkey, thanks to the education they had received on donkey welfare? More...
|
|
You can make a difference
You can make a BIG difference to animals overseas.
Many charities have an international reach. While you're having a drink in the pub in Scotland or visiting your cousin in Wales, your gift to a charity or loved one could be helping animals on the other side of the world - or in your home town...
Insure your pet AND help animals
|
