Flight School Students creating a safe space for feathered friends
By Kathy Fuller M
ANY OF US HAVE WATCHED SCENES in movies or even television commercials where birds have flown into glass. While these scenes may
appear humorous, the reality is that glass collisions remove otherwise healthy birds of almost all species from the envi- ronment. It is estimated that one billion birds die from build- ing collisions in the United States annually.¹ While the issue can be overwhelming, the good news is that there is a simple solution whereby third- to fifth-grade students can be the collective driving force. By combining science, math, art, reading, writing, and even engineering practices, students can identify school-based hazards to birds before creating and implementing a plan to modify the glass on their school buildings to protect local species of migratory birds. If the project is successfully executed, students may feel empow- ered by making a change in their own school or community, thus encouraging the practice of taking action to make a dif- ference in issues that are important to students and beneficial for the environment.
Initial discussion Many students have favorite birds or have noticed birds out- side, making this an easily-relatable topic. To start the dis- cussion, ask students why it is important to ensure the safety
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of migratory birds. Continue by asking how they would they feel if their favorite bird got hurt from flying into glass at their school. Would it still be able to fly south for the winter? Could it still make a nest and lay eggs? How many colors and sounds in nature would be gone if we had fewer birds in our environment?
Identifying on-site hazards Students must identify the hazards on their school grounds before they can create a plan to prevent bird collisions. A Bird-safe School Building Survey worksheet (Appendix A) leads students through the steps of identifying these hazards. Students answer practical questions about such consider- ations as the number of windows located on the school build- ing and which ones can be reached without a ladder, as well as hazard-specific questions regarding windows’ degrees of transparency and reflectivity. High degrees of one or both of these two factors spell trouble for migrants. When conduct- ing this survey, it is advisable for the class to be split the class into small groups with each group assigned to a specific area of the school building.
Math connection: Many school windows are arranged in patterns. Ask students to determine the number of windows mathematically. Would it be quicker to multiply the number of floors by the number of windows across one floor or to count all of the windows individually?
Green Teacher 121
Photos by Kathy Fuller
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