Title: School Yard Birds

Subject Area: Nature

Specific Topic: Identification, observation and recording of school yard birds.

Age Range: First Class 6-7 years

Goals
• To develop awareness in children of the everyday birds that are in their school yard.
• That the children will recognise and name these birds.
• That the children develop a respect for nature and the environment that they live in.
• That children are introduced to the processes involved in writing a book (drafting, editing, rewriting etc.)
  
  Curriculum Relevance
• The birds can be seen from the classroom windows so this is a perfect learning opportunity for these children.
• In First Class children have reached a stage where they strive for independence in reading and writing. Authoring their own book allows them this freedom.
  
  Display
• The finished product will be in A4 book form and each child will have a book of his/her own.
• A poster explaining the processes involved in the project will be displayed in the classroom.
• The web site will display highlights of the project.
  
  Use of Technology in the Display
• Use of Microsoft Word to present their work.
• Each child will add photos and clipart, as he/she deems appropriate.
• Colour, borders etc. will be chosen by each child so that each book becomes individualised.
  
  Requirements Prerequisite Learning
• Basic Reading and writing skills
• Basic word processing skills.
  
  Prerequisite Resources
• textbooks about birds, library books
• computers with Microsoft Word software
  
  
  Management of the project
• As part of their nature syllabus the teacher and children identified, observed and recorded in picture and story four birds. This happened over a four week period.
• Children and teacher chose appropriate clipart and photos of the birds for use in their book.
• Children worked in pairs typing, editing, and designing their books. Each child produced a book by taking turns with his/her partner and repeating the process.
  
  The project lasted 6 weeks and was finished in mid June 2000.
  
  Support needed
• The ICT Teacher helped the class teacher in becoming familiar with Microsoft Word.
• The class teacher and more able pupils helped the other students with difficulties that arose.
• A Parent in the class had vast knowledge of birds, with a special interest in Pigeons. His expertise was invaluable.
  
  
  Evaluation Evidence of Learning:
• The children could recognise the four birds and describe simple details of their lifestyle.
• Each child participated in the processes involved in making a book.
  
  Difficulties:
• The project was time consuming but the teacher felt that it was important that each child had his/her own finished product.
  
  Teacher Observations:
• A lot of time was spent training the children to use Microsoft Word.
• The teacher felt that if the children had learned these skills earlier in the school year, other projects and activities could be displayed in a similar way.

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