Birds- Behavior Observations

 

I took the kids to “the duck park” for a feather hunt. This turned into so much more. Hailey decided that this would be a great place to observe bird behaviors. She was right! we were blessed to see several different types of birds, and Hailey logged their behaviors.

Duck Behaviors:

• Pecking Feathers
• Sleeping
• Swimming in a V
• Baby sticking close to the mother duck
• Dunking head under water
• Running from humans
• Eating bread
• Quacking
• Mating call is different from the quacking noise
• Flying

My favorite observation was how these ducks heads made a heart shape. My kids drew hearts, based off of this picture.

After we observed the ducks, we watched as different birds flew into these gourd bird houses. We talked a bit about different kids of bird houses.

 

While we were looking at these houses, we heard this crazy noise, and the saw a Crane fly over. The kids were so excited. And secretly I was too! Hailey started writing as fast as she could.

• CRAZY squawking noise
• Standing tall with a long neck
• Gliding through the sky
• Wide wingspan
• Using his beak to try and catch fish

The Lord really blessed this trip with a few other nature observations that have nothing to do with Birds. We really had a blast, and were so thankful for this opportunity.

Here is a great article about the importance of observing animal behaviors. http://www.csun.edu/~vcpsy00h/valueofa.htm

Bird Unit Study- Books, Feeders, Squirrels

 

The Lord has really been working with me about allowing Him to lead our Studies. To allow him to lay out our weeks. I have a general plan, but have started praying every morning that God would lead me in the direction I need to go, and to help me to be open to a change in the “curriculum plan”. Well, one day, I was sitting and praying that God would lead me that day, and to help me to be more delight led. I asked him to show me something the kids were super interested in, and guide me in our studies. After breakfast that morning, I sent the kids out to play. They spent their entire outdoor time trying to catch birds. I knew then that was what we were supposed to study. Let me tell you, God’s has opened several unexpected doors for this study.

First, my mom had these awesome classical bird study books, that Hailey has been able to read daily. She has enjoyed them immensely.

We noticed that there were a lot of birds in our yard, so the kids wanted to make birdfeeders. Just so happened that I had not gotten rid of our milk cartons from the week before. The feeders turned out great. We hung them around the yard, and we watch birds every morning while eating breakfast.

 

The boys were not happy about the fact that Hailey had bird study books, and they did not, so I printed pages from Homeschool Creations Bird Pre-School, and Kindergarten packs.

This same day, we noticed that there was a squirrel eating from the feeder outside of the window. The boys decided they wanted to shoot it, and sit at the window saying, “Bang, Bang”. LOL.

Stay tuned for more of our Bird Study.

Christmas Tree Farm

About 7:30 Wednesday morning my children were coached into singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer at the top of their lungs in anticipation of our field trip to what they call. “The reindeer farm.” None of the participants in this trip had ever been before so we really had no clue what to expect. We were so pleased, and the kids had a blast.

What we learned:

• “Reindeer grow one set of antlers per year. That set of antlers usually falls off in January, then they start growing a new set.
• The purpose of tying the trees to steaks.
• The proper name for a Christmas tree (Evergreen)
• How trees pollinate

What we did:

• Went on a hay ride (no hay haha)
• Saw, and learned about reindeer
• Took pictures
• Listened to a story
• Played hide and seek in the trees
• Learned about Evergreens, and growing trees
• Got a souvenir 

Blend Tree, & Pinging Multiplication

This month we are kind of doing light schooling. I decided to create these visual aids to help with a few things we are working on. Christopher is working on Blends right now, so each day he decorates his tree with different blends, and we work on them together. Hailey is working on memorizing her Multiplication facts, so each day we put a different set on the Penguin, and she calls out the answers throughout the day.

I got the felt tree and penguin at the Dollar Tree, and I cut out felt circles from felt I had on hand. Here’s a closer look.

Science Center Field Trip

I love that a friend can call me up and say, “Hey, we are going to the local science museum, to change things up a bit. Do you want to come?” and I can go. We had a great time, and actually got a membership, so I envision several learning trips in the near future.

Laying on a bed of nails:

 

Balance:

Levers:

Wind:

Color and Lights: (This was Sammy’s favorite thing)

 

Toddler Time & Water Play:

Building a Bridge:

Visual Perception:

 

Dinosaurs:

Looking in a Microscope:

Hurricane:

Snow, Ice Fishing, and just plain Fun: