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Making Bird Journals

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BIRDS Activity 1 - Making Blank Books into Bird Guides

Age: Any age - child to adult

Make a blank book to collect your bird drawings and learn to identify them. As you draw birds, paste them each onto a blank page. Over time, learn to name all the birds in your book.

Objectives:

Students will create a bird guide over time by collecting all their labeled bird drawings into one book.

Materials:

A ream of 8.5 x 11 paper

A pack of 9 x 12 colored construction paper

Directions:

1. Decide the number of pages.

For an 8-page book take two sheets of 8.5 x 11 paper, fold in half.

For a 12-page book take three sheets of 8.5 x 11 paper, fold in half.

For a 16-page book take four sheets of 8.5 x 11 paper, fold in half.

2. Use a heavy piece of construction paper for the cover.

3. Staple close to the edge of the book to have as much room inside as possible. With older students, these books can be sewn, but for younger students stapling works well with up to 4 sheets of paper. Students can also use blank books or reuse an old spiral or looseleaf notebook

4. Now as you do the following activities, cut and paste the birds you have drawn into your book. Be sure and label each drawing with the bird's name. The parts of the bird can go on your opening page as a reference. You are making your very own bird guide. Quiz yourself and your friends on the birds in your book.

Have students keep a record of all the birds they see, what they look like, what time of year it is and what the bird was doing. Over time they will begin to notice birds more. Help them identify local birds, so they know them when they see them.