1. 1st Grade Amazing Earth October
Birds
1st Grade Amazing Earth
October
The presentation should take about minutes to allow minutes for the stations

2. What Things do all birds have in common?
Feathers
Wings
Beaks
Lay eggs
Warm-blooded
Skeleton
Hollow bones (most birds)
SAY: One of the things scientists look at when they study animals is what features they have, like giraffes have really long necks.
ASK: What features or things do birds have in common?
ADVANCE to see bullet points.
What is warm-blooded? This means that a bird’s body will stay a constant temperature. They make their own heat even when it is cold outside. This is similar to mammal / people.
Why do you think birds needs hollow bones? (Do humans have hollow bones?) Hollow bones make the bird lighter so it can fly.
Not all birds can fly. Penguins and Ostriches have heavy bones.

3. Bird life cycle

4. Migration Birds are found all over the world.
Many birds migrate. What is migration?
Why do birds migrate?
Some birds migrate short distances (100 miles) while others will migrate over 40,000 miles from pole to pole and back!
What is migration? Moving from one area to another depending on the season. For example, geese flying south for the winter.
Why do birds migrate? They often migrate to warmer temperatures so that they can find food during the colder months.

5. Some birds live on the water
Ducks, geese, and swans are well adapted to swimming
Penguins use their wings for swimming, but not flying!
Loons spend so much time in the water they can barely walk on land

6. Some birds live on land Ostriches, Emus, and Kakapos can’t fly
Other birds such as junglefowl only fly in short hops
(What does a junglefowl remind you of?)

7. Some birds don’t like to land at all!
Birds like the albatross or the godwit can fly for more than a month without touching down at all!
They have wings that are good for gliding

8. How do birds communicate?
Use their voices to make calls or sing songs
Puff up their feathers to look bigger

9. What do birds eat? Fruit Plants Seeds Insects
Birds of Prey eat small animals (mice, fish)
Birds of prey include: owls, hawks, eagles, vultures

10. Bird Beaks Different birds have different beaks
Used for eating, fighting, building nests, grooming
Adapted/changed over time to help birds find food within their habitat
A cardinal has strong beak like a nutcracker or pliers that can break hard shell seeds
A hummingbird has a long skinny beak like a straw so it can get the flower’s nectar
A pelican has a beak that can scoop fish out of the water

11. Bird Beak Activity The five stations have:
Something that represents the type of food a bird eats
rice = small bugs
Tools that represent different shaped beaks
slotted spoon or net = pelican beak
Chart to write which tool is most similar to the bird’s beak. It works best for the type of food the bird eats
Carry the chart to the next station
Advance to next slide during activity

12. Bird Beaks
Updated 9/26/19