Establishing guidelines Having identified hazards, students only need to be briefed on some final guidelines before they begin to create their plan for protecting migratory birds. Scientists have found that most birds will avoid an opening that is no larger than two inches high by four inches wide,² the wingspan of many small songbirds. Consequently, bird collisions are greatly reduced by creating a design that ensures that windows don’t have any open areas of the glass that are bigger than two inches by four inches. Windows can be easily modified with low-cost, even temporary, applications to the glass. The most effective appli- cations are made to the outsides of windows to reduce both transparency and reflectivity. Applications on the inside of the windows, while less impactful, are still effective at reduc- ing transparency.
Creating the plan With the parameters in place, students are ready to create a bird-safe building plan. If they need a nudge or some extra inspiration, encourage students to create designs on the glass using tempera paint, chalk paint pens, or even bar soap so long as they follow the two-inch-by-four-inch spacing guideline.
Art connection: Think of every window of the school build- ing as a blank canvas that can change throughout the school year as each application fades.
Students could also use tape, like
ABC Bird Tape, to create lines on the windows in two-inch-by-four-inch incre- ments. By applying additional math skills, students can measure the windows and create an Acopian Bird Saver or Zen Window Curtain by hanging para- cord strings the full length of the win- dow every four inches. The American Bird Conservancy (ABC) has additional information on window modifications at
www.abcbirds.org. If the school build- ing cannot be modified, there may be other local buildings, bus shelters, etc. that could be considered for modification pending approval from ownership. English Language Arts connection:
Have students create an awareness cam- paign to ensure that the whole school, students and adults alike, are aware of how the building can be modified to ensure safe flight for migratory birds. Students can create posters and morning announcements or even write letters to decision-makers to spread the word about the importance of modifying buildings for migrant birds. In class, students could also write a persuasive essay encourag- ing modification of a building to ensure safe flight for birds.
Green Teacher 121 Page 29
Evaluating students’ plan To ensure that students can properly identify and address hazards to migratory birds, consider the following questions: Did the students effectively create change at the school by modifying the school building to be bird-safe? Does their bird-safe building plan follow the two-inch-by-four-inch spacing guideline? By raising awareness of issues, modeling sustainable
living, guiding students to make environmentally-friendly choices, and encouraging action, teachers are very influen- tial in student’s lives when it comes to their environmen- tal action.³ Although this lesson is designed for third- to fifth-grade students, it can be differentiated for other grades depending on the depth to which students engage with the issue. For middle and high school students, for instance, con- sider assigning an advocacy piece in which students encour- age local businesses and building owners outside of their school building to implement modifications to their windows’ glass to protect birds. Alternatively, students could create designs and apply them in full scale to their school buildings using digital technology, ensuring the proper scale of the design. Students with special needs can participate based on their abilities, with some being very creative in the design of the modification and others being more hands-on with the
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
