Habitat Connections Giveaway

BirdSleuth is giving away 50 Habitat Connections kits to classroom teachers across the country this spring. Are you interested? Along with the Habitat Connections kit, selected teachers will also receive a free bird feeder and bird seed thanks to our sponsors from Perky-Pet®. 

Who’s Eligible? 3-8th grade classroom teachers in the United States that can use the Habitat Connections lessons described below in their classroom. Winners will be selected on a ongoing basis until Friday, November 13, 2015. If selected, you will receive your free kit, bird feeder, and bird seed in the spring just in time for classes.

To apply for a kit:Complete our online survey. Application deadline is Friday, November 13, 2015. Winners  will be notified on a ongoing basis until Monday, November 23, 2015.
 
Habitat Connection Details
There are seven easy to follow and implement lessons in the curriculum. Each includes concise learning objectives, background reading, reflection and evaluation questions, and teaching slides (a Powerpoint file on a USB drive) to help you. The lessons were field tested by 3-8th grade teachers, and are tied to the NGSS and Common Core Standards.

1. Habitat Investigation: Students learn about the habitat needs of birds, then go outside to map the habitat in their schoolyard. These maps can be used to create a YardMap, a citizen-science project.
2. Migration Obstacles: Students run a migration obstacle course to actively experience some of the challenges that migrating birds face. (In the photo above, a “bird” dashes across a road and around a window, bringing the challenges of real birds alive!)
3. Bird Survivor: Students discover the life cycle of birds and the challenges that nesting birds face by playing a “Bird Survivor” game.  They are invited to take action by participating in the NestWatch citizen-science project.
4. To Migrate or Not: Students learn about the costs and benefits of migrating or staying in one area all year through a demonstration, and then do research on individual birds.
5. Scientist in Action: Students are introduced, through videos, to a scientist who studies migrating Hudsonian Godwits. They learn about the scientific process and the nature of science by examining his work.
6. Modeling Migration: Students look at animated bird-distribution maps created using citizen-science data, and discover the value of models in understanding where bird species are located throughout the year. They are invited to take part in the eBird citizen-science project and explore eBird data.
7. Improve Your Bird Habitat: Through mapping and planning habitat improvements in their schoolyard or another open area, students learn about the importance of small-scale habitat management and discover the characteristics of green spaces that create good habitat for birds.