STEAM@Home: Backyard Birding

Explore local birds in their natural habitat either in your own neighborhood or further afield. Identify the birds you see. Keep track of your findings on paper or in a sketchbook with drawings and descriptions.

Materials:

Paper 

Pencil

Not necessary but nice additions:

Sketch pad

Colored pencils

Markers

Crayons

Binoculars

For an excursion remember:

Bug Spray

Long Socks & Pants

Sunscreen

Water Bottle

This activity supports the practice of these STEAM Habits of Mind: Develop craft, engage & persist, observe, reflect, stretch & explore.

Tips for Supporting Your Children's Learning

Get your child actively involved in their own learning and having their questions drive the learning. Let them observe and figure out, and try to hold back from answering questions for them. Instead, try to ask: What do we know? What else can we find out? How might we figure that out? Don't be afraid to ask your child questions.  Also, don't be afraid to say "I don't know--let's find out together!" as a way to respond to their questions.  Here's an article to help you support this kind of learning:  Of the Value of Saying I Don’t Know

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Want to learn more about backyard birding?

• Local Birding: 
  • Fresh Pond Reservation: 180-220 Fresh Pond Pkwy, (617) 349-6489 
  • Mount Auburn Cemetery: 580 Mt Auburn St., (617) 547-7105 
  • Alewife Brook Reservation: Alewife Station Access Rd., (617) 727-9693 
  • Mass Audubon’s Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary: 10 Juniper Rd., Belmont, MA (617) 489-5050

• Digital Books: (available free on Hoopla with a Cambridge Public Library card)
  • The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton W. Burgess
  • Birding is My Favorite Video Game by Rosemary Mosco
  • Audobon Birding Adventures for Kids by Elissa Wolfson
  • NPR Sound Treks: Birds by Jon Hamilton

• Print Books (curbside pick-up is available now):
  • A Beginner's Guide to Recognizing Trees of the Northeast by Mark Mikolas
  • Sibley's Backyard Birds of the Northeast by David Allen Sibley
  • The Young Birder's Guide to the Birds of North America by Bill Thompon III
  • Beginner's Guide to Birds: Eastern Region by Donald & Lillian Stokes
  • Birds and Birding at Mount Auburn Cemetery by Christopher Leahy

• Websites:

  Mass Audubon  

  National Audubon 

  All About Birds

  BirdSleuth K-12 

• Free Apps for iOS & Android:

  eBird 

  Merlin 

  Peterson Birds of North America 

  Audubon Birds of North America 

  BirdsEye Bird Finding Guide

• Videos on the Basics of Birding: 

  Birding Basics & Beyond: How to Get on the Bird 

  Birding Basics & Beyond: How to Use a Field Guide 

More hands on activities and learning opportunities:

• Audobon Adventures: Design & Build a Recycled Birdfeeder
• Farrington Nature Linc: Simple Pinecone Birdfeeder
• Mass Audobon: Bird Bingo

• Science Club for Girls at Home Recommendations

  • Build a Bird Nest 

  • Nature Detective

• SciGirls, PBS Kids: Bird is the Word (Spanish & English)

More STEAM@Home suggestions! 

• MIT Full STEAM Ahead