Here is an exciting exploration of a fascinating topic for your emerging ecologists: bird migration! They begin by visiting the US Fish & Wildlife Service website to discover which Arctic birds come to their areas. They are assigned...

Fifth graders plot the migration of birds using Google Earth. In this instructional activity on bird migration, 5th graders work in groups to plot the migration of a group of birds using Google Earth. Students present and discuss their...

Students use a hopscotch course to simulate the problems birds incur as they are migrating due to loss of wetlands.

Students reflect on bird migrations and develop a project to collect data on bird species from across North America to further investigate the ranges and migrations of common birds. They create a field guide of North American birds.

Sixth graders investigate the understanding of where coffee is grown by conducting a survey. They study the natural history of coffee and examine bird habitats in the areas where coffee is grown. They write letters to explaining the...

Students study bird migrations and the importance of wetlands.  In this migration lesson students play a game and complete a computer activity. 

Students explore biology by completing animal activity pages in class. In this bird characteristics lesson, students discuss the different types of birds that exist in North America and identify their migration habits. Students read...

Students explore the route that Minnesota ospreys follow during spring and fall migration. They describe the important ecological characteristics of the places that ospreys pass through during their migration. They determine where...

Young scholars study the concept of animal migration with the change of seasons. They discover that migration can be hazardous, and the distance migrated can be short or long.

Students examine whales and how they migrate.  In this whale lesson plan students research whales and their migration patterns.

Fifth graders discover the uses for rice by reading about the habitats of certain birds.  In this agriculture lesson, 5th graders research birds from the Gulf Coast and California and their reasons for living in rice fields....

Students use field research and traditional research to identify migrating species of birds as well as their migratory patterns. Students generate a list of questions regarding migration and a plan to research the questions. A field...

Middle schoolers analyze an animal's life cycle and behaviors, and examine what animals need to stay alive and reproduce. They develop theories and hypotheses about the reasons for migrations, using the Journey North online project.

Second graders listen as the book, "What Do Animals Do In Winter?" is read to the class. They discuss that during the winter, some animals migrate, hibernate, hide, change color, and some make changes in their bodies like growing extra...

Students look at owl migration and its impact on the environment and the food chain after reading an article from The New York Times. Students then apply this information to and research different food chain situations for other species...

Fourth graders identify and classify birds found in Illinois. Using the internet, they discover how birds have adapted over time and how the adaptations have increased their life span. They compare and contrast the various adaptations...

Students listen to examples of common bird songs of birds found in Illinois. As a class, they discover the importance between the differences in songs and calls. They practice making their own bird calls and songs to end the lesson.

Young scholars identify how humans, fish, plants, birds, insects and other wildlife benefit from wetland environments. They observe a wetland and its inhabitants, draw a migration map that represents how birds use wetlands in traveling...

Students examine the use of wetlands by migrating birds. They discuss reasons for the disappearance of wetlands. They discover how humans have affected wetlands as well.

Using a magnifier, mini marine biologists examine the barbules of a bird feather. They swirl the it into a mixture of oil and water and then re-examine the feather. After the activity, discuss how the oily feathers pose a problem to...

Students use a migration map to estimate the distance traveled by a bird while migrating south. After calculating accurate estimates of the distance traveled, students compare the distances traveled with the amount of time elapsed.

Students examine the types of hawks found in Illinois and compile a list of them. Using different species of hawks, they compare and contrast their characteristics. They work together to create their own hawk model for the classroom.

Learners match each body part or idea from a work bank about methods of animal adaptations for winter survival. They observe as the first one, food is covered with the whole class before completing the rest of the diagram. They discuss...

Learners, in groups, track the seasonal journey of a species, such as a shorebird, sea turtle, or marine mammal, using various sources of migration data