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The study of birds is one of the basic units of study in our life science curriculum in Oak Park. This unit is targeted for students in grades 1-3. It is designed to focus on their characteristics, functions as well as how living things change. Birds are an ideal study because they are pretty, fun to watch and found in most every habitat, including urban environments, and in many cases individual species are easily identified or distinguished from other species. They also provide a fun way to explore science and study the environment around you. Birds are group of animals most commonly studied by amateurs and experts alike.
Our team of two, Mrs. Simmons second class and Mrs. Miller's second and third graders of Hatch Elementary School will be working on an integrated unit as part of the Chicago Academy of Science Museums in the Classroom Threatened, Endangered, and Extinct Species Program. Parts of this program have been adapted for our second and third graders. Through this study we will be able to introduce the concept of path studies.(The path study attempts to measure bird abundance over time and geographic area). Data collection is an important aspect of scientific analysis. A good, consistent research plan and data collection method can provide information that can prove or disprove theories and extrapolate trends and correlations to a larger population. By understanding how data is collected and some basic analyses, our students learn to draw conclusions from a sample and apply them to a whole population as well as the discipline necessary to achieve useful results.(Binoculars will be provided by our district's science department.)
It is also our hope to incorporate the internet with hands-on collaborative activities to integrate lessons in math, language arts and geography. As a result of this project, students will discover patterns in the types of birds they see and compare their results with other classrooms across Illinois.
The following is suggested by the Chicago Academy of Science:
Student Task: An Overview
Our project is comprised of three sections:
Section 1: Identifying and Counting Birds (An Indoor Activity)
Section 2: Establishing A path
Section 3: Data Collection and Analysis
In section 1- identifying and counting birds, students are introduced to the general concepts of what birds are and how to identify types of birds.This information is supplemental and will enhance the learners knowledge of birds and the basics of bird identification. Students are placed in cooperative groups to search for answers in reference materials, CD-ROMS or on the web. It also includes an opportunity for learners to make their own field guides by printing images from the world wide web and coloring the pictures in.
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In section 2 - this section involves the setting up of the transect, or path students will use. It is suggested by the Chicago Academy of Science "Off the Beaten Path" that the path for our experiment should be 200 meters long. (The time spent setting up the transect/path will help us to determine habitat types and the basic environment of our study path.)
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In section 3-This section encompasses the data collection and analysis of the project. This section is repeated every time data is collected. Ideally, data should be collected twice a month from end of September to end of November. The actual time spent each data collection period should be recorded on the data sheets, but the student will be stopping approximately every 20 meters for 2 to 3 minutes at each location. Thus, the 200 meter transect should take approximately half an hour to complete. It is also suggested by the Academy of Science to choose a path near our school so that we can visit it easily within a class period. This path should also reflect the local environment to yield results that are meaningful to our students. And finally, using our data and the technique of graphing, we will compare our results with other classrooms across Illinois via the internet.
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* Note: I have linked a more detailed student task description of each section for a closer look.
Subject:
Science/Life Sciences;Language Arts/ Descriptive Writing; Math/ Number Skills
Grade Level: Grades 1-3
Abstract: Second graders and primary learning disabilities students is working on an integrated unit as part of the Chicago Academy of Science Museums in the Classroom Threatened, Endangered, and Extinct Species Program. Through this study students are introduce to the concept of path study. (The path study attempts to measure bird abundance over time and geographic area).
Learner Description/Environment: There are 18 second graders from various socioeconomic backgrounds; and 12 learning disabled students from grades first through third. Each of the two classrooms has a computer with internet access, scanner and the availability of a digital camera.
Time Frame:
Data should be collected twice a month from end of September to end of November
Rationale: The study of birds is one of the basic units of study in our life science curriculum in Oak Park. It is designed to focus on their characteristics, functions as well as how living things change.Birds are an ideal study because they are pretty, fun to watch and found in most every habitat, including urban environments. They also provide a fun way to explore science and study the environment around you.
Our goals are to have students observe and identify characteristics of birds. Students will also discover and investigate patterns in the type of bird populations they have found in their neighborhood and compare their results with classrooms across Illinois via the internet.
Learner Outcomes: Students will be able to:
Alignment with Standards: This project demonstrates elements of:
Structure of the Learning:
Content: Pose the Question: Have you ever noticed the birds in the trees or on the ground as you walk to school every day? Did you notice the different kinds there were, and how their numbers changed over time? If the answers to these questions are yes, then you have conducted a very basic path analysis of birds. All beginning scientist need to understand how to collect data in such a way that their information can be analyzed and compared to other data sites.This study will guide our students out into their environment to conduct their own path study on birds.By conducting these experiments we will be able to collect data that can be compared to data collected by classrooms across the state of Illinois.
Process: Our study is comprised of three sections:
In section 1 students are introduced to the general concepts of what birds are and how to identify types of birds. Students are placed in cooperative groups to search for answers on the internet, reference materials and CD ROMS. A Field guide will be constructed. (see A Closer look 1)
In section 2 students are involved in setting up their path.(The time spent setting up the path will also help us to determine habitats types and environment. ( see A Closer look 2 )
In section 3 This section encompasses the data collection and analysis of the project. Using our data and the technique of graphing, we will compare our results with classrooms across Illinois via the internet. (see A Closer look 3)
Product: Each student will make their own field guide; Students will use the internet for their research on birds. Hands on collaborative activities to integrate math, language arts and geography.
Student Assessment:
The students' final product, a field guide, will serve as the assessment. The book will have students own drawings of the birds found with brief facts included. The final project will also include a page summarizing their bird findings, including the kind of bird and where it was sighted. Assessment will be based on the drawings, how closely it resembles the real bird, and the facts the students can recall. (see Rubrics)
Project/Unit Evaluation:
This project will be evaluated by examining the information presented in their field guides. By looking at this information, one can easily see the number and variety of birds that were sighted.
Enough With
this teacher stuff let's get to the kid's stuff!!! Just wait to you
see what we did!!!!!
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These words will be introduced and used in the context of the activity and discussion only:
(data, environment, graphing, habitat, migration )
Student journals
1). First, we will arrange students into cooperative groups of five students each. If there is an odd number of students, we may have to use some smaller or larger groups but, we will try to keep the total numbers as close to five as possible.
2). Second, we will introduce the idea of bird study and identification to the class. Using the information of birds posted on the world wide web:
We will try tapping the students prior knowledge by asking questions and encouraging deductions and theories to arrive at answers to the questions they do not know. And finally, encouraging all groups and students to answer or theorize about at least one concept or adaptation.
(or)
An alternative could be to give each student group a task, or question, such
as why do birds have feathers? and then have them search for the answers in
reference materials, filmstrips,videos or on CD ROMS. A list of traditional book references is
available online, or have the students search the web for information. However, this
method can take considerable class time to achieve the desired objective. If
such time is unavailable, this method may not be appropriate.
3). Introduce the use and purpose of field guides to students by passing some around the room
and asking what reasons might exist to make such a book. Some of their answers might include:
there are too many types of animals (in this case birds) for one person to know by memory, to
help new and experienced birders identify species they have not seen before, and to show
beginning birders what to look for when identifying bird species. If students do not know what
a species is, we will take some time to try and explain this concept to them.( A popular
illustrative technique compares the scientific naming system to the student's name and
address.)
The four main birds in this study are mourning doves, red-winged blackbirds,
goldfinches, and house sparrows. The "field guide" also contains pictures of
a blue jay, robin, cardinal, and black-capped chickadee. These birds may be
seen by the students while on the study, and are included in the guide
because of this fact. However, they will be classified into a category
labeled "other" for data collection purposes. The birds in this study are
listed by common name, genus and species in their "field guide" entries.
Birds in this study all belong to the Kingdom Animalia (Animals), Phylum
Chordata (Has a backbone), and Class Aves (Birds). The mourning dove belongs
to the Order Columbiformes and the family Columbidae which includes the
pigeons and doves. The rest share the order passeriformes or perching birds,
although they belong to different families. Either Petersons or Audubon's
field guide to Eastern birds should list the families as well as genus and
species for all the birds they may encounter.
4) If time permits, students may want to print out a copy of the "field guide"
to color in. In the case of the goldfinch and red-winged blackbird, we may
want them to print out two copies of the bird to color a male bird and a
female bird, as the two sexes look different. Pass out copies of a published
field guide or let the groups sit by a computer with the color pictures on
it. When coloring each bird, discuss what makes each bird identifiable as
that type of bird. Is color a good way to pick out different types of birds?
Patterns of color? Shape? . Why might it be advantageous for the female to be colored differently? What could be helpful about being "duller" than the males? (Camouflage) Why are the males so brightly colored? (To attract mates, etc.) We will spend time to insure that students know what each of the four species to be studied looks like.
We may also want to include extra blank sheets for students to add drawings of unknown birds into their field guides.
We may have students pay attention to"key" traits to help identify birds including the size of the bird, the color of its legs, its beak, body, shape, whether it has marks on its wings and the length of its tail. We will be sure to encourage them to look them up in a published field guide for identification when they get back to the classroom.
For the study itself, it might be helpful to have the group divide up the
birds such that one member does research on each type of bird and the fifth
member does research on the other common birds they might see. We may want
to limit the student assigned to the "other" birds to a less in depth report
on the individuals so that work loads are approximately equal. Each group
member reports what he or she has discovered to their peers. This could also
divide the students in the group so that one person is counting only the
goldfinches, one counts only the mourning doves, one counts all the "other"
birds, and so on until all the possibilities are taken care of. If time is
short, we may wish to conduct this lesson with the published field guides
alone.
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1. Students will be arranged into cooperative groups of five students each.
2. Introduce the idea of environmental data collection to class. Tap
student prior knowledge. Pose the following questions, giving students time
to respond in their journals.
How does data collection help scientists study the environment?
Data collection allows scientists to determine the current condition of the environment?
What information do scientists learn about the environment when data is compared and analyzed over time?
Scientists learn how the environment is changing and what factors may be causing these
changes. Scientists might not always discover what is causing a change in
the environment but they may find how plants and animals are adapting to
these changes.
3. Ask the class to imagine they are conducting a scientific study of their
local environment. Have them consider the local environment. Pose the
following questions, giving students time to respond in their journals. What
is your local environment comprised of? What types of data would you collect
to help in studying the local environment? How do you determine what to
collect and where to collect it? Do you collect data from everywhere? How do
scientists collect data for scientific investigation? Accept all answers.
Scientists use the concept of sampling, collecting specific data from a
small area that represents the larger system. They use data collected from
sampling areas to make inferences or generalization about the larger system.
Scientists sometimes ask other scientists or experts for help. Who would you
go to for help in learning about your area or for advice in conducting your
study? Possible sources of aid include the Chicago Academy of Sciences,
Illinois Department of Conservation (DNR), forest preserve managers,
and land managers.
4. Establish a bird data collection activity.
The following points provide the rationale and processes necessary for designing
our activity. Have the class consider and discuss each point.
* Determine a path . In order to best examine our corner
of the world, the class should establish the path in an area near our
school that best represents our local environment. If our school building
is surrounded by streets and buildings these should be represented in our
path. Ask the class if it is important to maintain the same sampling area
every time data is collected. Will changing the sampling area change the
type and amount of data they collect? Can data collected from different
sampling sites be compared over time? Does varying the type of data you
collect affect the study in any way? Can different types of data be compared
over time?
To enable different schools across the state to use your data and compare it
to theirs, our path length in this experiment will be 200 meters long. Ask
students why everyone must have the same length for their path for
their data to be comparable. What would happen if one school used a 100
meter path and another a 50 meter path? How might this effect the data each
school collects?
* Establishing a regular schedule for data collection. This step is crucial.
Selecting a time and frequency that fits into our own class' schedule. As this
project covers changes over time, we will try to schedule a data collection period
once every two weeks to do this experiment. Ask the class to determine if
maintaining a regular schedule is important to scientific research. Does
varying the time of day that you collect data affect the information that
you will collect? Does varying the frequency of data collection affect the
study? Can data collected at random times or intervals be compared
accurately over time? Explain that once the schedule is developed, it is
important to maintain throughout the project so that the data can be
compared. Ideally, the duration of this experiment should be from October
through November or longer.
In order to set an accurate description of habitat, we will establish roles for each group member during initial survey:
For example, one person to serve as official recorder, two persons to serve as botanists (responsible for collecting plant data), and two persons to serve as biologists
(responsible for collecting animal data). These roles will change for the
actual data collection periods, where each student will then be counting a specific type of bird.
5. Have students find their path on the topographic map. Where is it situated
in relation to our school? our students' homes? What types of land
use/land cover are located near your plot? Houses? A forest? A river?
6. Go outside. Have each group walk the path prior to collecting data.
Students should use the blank paper, pencils, and clipboards to sketch the
path and the physical features that surround it. Also have students note the
ways land surrounding the path is used. Is the area built-up, natural, or
somewhere in between? Have each group use field guides to identify and list
the major plant and bird species found in your sampling site. In this
initial walk, assign one person to mark off 20 meter
intervals on the path, so we can save time when sampling is taking place.
7. Return to the classroom. As a class, consider the information we have
collected and use it to arrive at a description of the habitat we are
sampling in. Also, use the list of birds you've seen to identify the common
birds seen in the "other" category so that all the students know what these
look like. If there is an "other" species that is prevalent in the area, we
might want to make another category on your class' personal data sheets for
it. This could be especially helpful if there are few birds of the species
that are designated in our area.
8. Have each group use the complete list add any "extras" from #7 to your
data sheets. As a class, analyze the pros and cons of each group's data
sheet. Compare each sheet and use portions of each group's sheet to develop
a standard class data collection sheet for groups to use throughout the
project. This sheet should include space for recording the date and time of
data collection, weather conditions, signs of human activity/disturbance,
group members, the number of each type of bird your class is sampling for,
and blank space for additional comments.
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1. Separate students into pre-established cooperative groups.
2. Pass out field guides, data sheets, clipboards, and pencils to each group.
3. Assign roles of each group member for main experiment.
* Assign one person to each bird studied and one to the "other" category. As an alternative, one person could serve as official recorder marking down their group's
data on the official group sheet.
This person would switch at every stop, so every member of the group has a chance to
try tabulating the data. Try to identify birds in the "other" category while
outside. Perhaps the group member responsible for counting the "other" birds
could describe each unknown bird in as much detail as possible for later
attempts at identification.
4. Go outside. Have the first group recorder list start time, date, group
members, and weather conditions, signs of human activity, and additional
comments on data sheet. All groups will be recording data at the same time
at the same point in the path, but will use separate data sheets.
5. Begin at the start of the path. Emphasizing quiet, walk 20 meters into
your path. Stop and have each group look for and count birds for 2-3
minutes. Once the data collection period is over, have each person report
their bird's total numbers to the recorder. Switch recorders. If you have
added "extra" birds, fill those columns in too. Don't forget to remind them
that these birds get recorded twice, once in the other category and once on
their own. Continue this method at 20 meter intervals until each group
reaches the end of the path. (remebering to mark our own path.)
6. Return to classroom. List each group's data on the chalkboard. The
recorder for each group is responsible for copying this information for
their respective group.
7. Using a computer spreadsheet program or graph paper, have students graph
their group's data with data collected from other groups. How does the data
collected by each group compare? If there are differences, have class
discuss possible reasons for discrepancy. Accept all answers. Explain that
scientists often use multiple trials when collecting data.
8. Have students average the data collected by each group. This average will
serve as the class' official data. Explain that scientists often average
data collected by various researchers to normalize disparity in the data.
9. Have recorders copy this information and file it in their group's project
notebook.
10. Have groups graph their data and the official class data from this
collection period in relation to data previously collected. How does it
compare? If there are obvious differences, ask class to list those factors
that may influence these differences? Seasons? Weather? Disturbance near the
sampling area?
11) Input each groups data into the official data sheet.
Include the following:
* Name of School
* Location of Path (i.e. City and County)
* Weather
* Habitat
* Time of Day
* Start Time
* Finish Time
* # of Groups
* # of Students per Group
* Type of Study
* Month/Day/Year
* Number of House Sparrows
* Number of Goldfinches
* Number of Red-winged Blackbirds
* Number of Mourning Doves
* Number of Other Birds
* Whether or not a Plot was used
* Comments (i.e. all the other birds were chickadees, etc.)
for Mathematics and Science
The Following is an except from District 97 Handbook:
As a result of their schooling, students will be able to understand and use the appropriate processes, methods and techniques in math and science.
MS2-A Observe, classify, and measure objects, materials, substances, phenomena and events.
MS2-B Collect, organize, describe, analyze, summarize and interpret data using statistical concepts.
MS2-C Construct, read and interpret tables, graphs, and charts.
ABILITY TO COLLECT, CLASSIFY,ORGANIZES, AND RETAIN INFORMATION
4
locates information from a wide variety of sources; student can name at least 4 or more identifying characteristics of a bird
3
locates information from 2 or more sources; student can name at least 3 identifying characteristics of a bird
2
locates information from only one source; student can name only one identifying characteristic of a bird with prompting
1
Has difficulty locating information from one source; Is unable to recall or name one characteristic of a bird.
DEMONSTRATES SKILL USING RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY
4
Is highly skillful and effective in using a variety of resources and technology to access information
3
Uses a variety of resources and technology to access information
2
Accesses or selects from basic resources; with assistance uses a variety of resources and technology to access information
1
Uses technology to access teacher-selected information; with assistance selects information from basic resources
COLLABORATIVE WORKER
4
Leads in completion of task; models an appropriate balance between speaking and listening; exceeds expectations and role responsibilities
3
Participates in completion of tasks; meets expectation and role responsibilities; balances role between speaking and listening in the group
2
With assistance, contributes to completion of tasks; with assistance meets expectations and role responsibilities
1
Is Frequently off task; participates to a limited extent; with assistance partially helps to complete tasks
CREATES PRODUCT THAT ACHIEVE THEIR PURPOSE
(BIRD FIELD GUIDE)
4
Creates a superior field guide that reflects an innovative and efficient approach towards achieving its purpose; articulates subtle characteristics of product and gives detailed answers to questions about it.
3
Creates a field guide that achieves its purpose; Describes essential characteristics of the product and accurately answers questions about it.
2
With assistance creates a field guide that has essential elements: Describes most characteristics of the product and briefly or with minor errors answers questions about product.
1
Field guide is incomplete or maybe disorganized; describes a few characteristics and/or makes numerous errors: With prompting partially answers questions about product.
