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Kelly
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 12:39pm | IP Logged
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HEEEEEEELP! I am assisting/supervising my dds with a "bird camp" next week and need inspiration on how to organize our five 3 and a half hour sessions. My goal is to provide each camper with a baggy of lap-book oriented booklets/folds/papers that they can put into a book on their own, directions included, after the camp ends.
During the week, we have some cool birdy videos to keep them occupied for an hour of each session (David Attenborough's "Life of Birds", "Pale Male" about the peregrine in NYC, an interactive video on birds and their calls, "Coot Club", Magic Schoolbus "Taking Flight" & "Winged Migration...obviously we won't watch all of them, but it gives an idea of what themes I have to work with).
For activities, I already have a bunch of owl pellets for dissection, bird plane models, and someone who will bring a live owl and a hawk to the house. Also Bird Bingo, feathers and microscopes, and a plethora of other materials, but I'm looking for a coherent way to organize the week--say, instead of bird types, could I do it by history (the boys want to address the dinosaurs-as-bird-predecessors question) & anatomy, flight/feathers & migration, diet & eating strategies and...and...and...well, I dunno  ?Communication/bird calls/Bird I.D.? There's SO MUCH info, I'm kind of swamped with where to go with this, and don't want to overload the dearies, but DO want to keep it interesting, educational and fun. Just to make it more complicated, the ages are 5 to 12, so we'll have to separate for some activities-my dds are planning to take charge of the little kids.
Any ideas? Suggestions for "active" games to get the kids up and running when they get tired of sitting? Great activities you all have done with your children?
One thing I know, we'll finish up with a party featuring BBQ chicken!
Seeking any and all advice,
Kelly, desperate/appreciative in FL
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Chari
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 3:24pm | IP Logged
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Such a clever idea, Kelly!  I am so inspired! 
Have a great time!
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Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 3:57pm | IP Logged
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Hmmm...how about...
Beak, wing, claw, nest, egg.
Beak: could include beak types (form to function) and diets. The owl pellet dissection could go here.Also bird calls.
Wing: flight and feathers, migration patterns,field marks for bird identification, etc. Bird bingo could go here.
Claw:hunting/perching, skeleton, anatomy. Dinosaur to bird could go here.Also the owl and hawk visit.
Nest: behaviors including nest-building, courtship displays, pair-bonding. Bird calls could also go here. Make bird nest cakes.
Egg:Development of chick, chicken egg dissection. Make deviled eggs for the cookout.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
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MaryM
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 4:43pm | IP Logged
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Oh, I've been wracking my brain to no avail and then I see your post, Theresa. I'd say that is the perfect organizationsl structure!
Kelly wrote:
| ... and someone who will bring a live owl and a hawk to the house. |
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And this camp sounds great, Kelly. You are really amazing with your summer camps!
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Kelly
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 5:52pm | IP Logged
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BINGO! Theresa, that's JUST the kind of overarching plan I was looking for! Simple yet elegant :-) Great suggestion!
You all are great. Many thanks.
Kelly in FL
PS Theresa, just got back from Louvre Atlanta---very, very nice. Thought of you guys-but guess it would be a long haul from Alaska, alas!
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Kelly
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| Posted: Aug 16 2007 at 11:47pm | IP Logged
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Back again, ladies. Any ideas for some ACTIVE (as in outdoor) games? My "small group" of 10 has suddenly blossomed into 26. Aaagh! I feel like a public school teacher 
Kelly in FL
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Aug 17 2007 at 12:13am | IP Logged
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Egg and spoon races.
Egg toss.
Egg roll (not the Chinese food, the game where you race to try to roll an egg a certain distance.)
Egg hunt for littles.
Capture the Rubber chicken (like capture the flag, but...)
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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Kelly
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| Posted: Aug 17 2007 at 12:16am | IP Logged
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Thanks, Theresa, EGGcellent ideas!
 Kelly in FL
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MaryM
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| Posted: Aug 17 2007 at 1:40am | IP Logged
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ENaturalist Prey vs. Predator game that focuses on owls
Also we had a naturalist from the Audubon center here that did a presentation for us which included a migration game. It was great and works for a big group outside. I've tried to find something similar online tonight - no luck. Basically there were 3 or 4 different species of birds that ate different diets (nectar, seeds/berries, insects or a combination). Each child was assigned a bird to be and told what it ate. Within a large circle (outlined with a string) the educator dropped a variety of the fake foods the birds would eat - the food was made of fun foam - there was a flower to represent the nectar, a circle to represent the berry/seed, and a bug shape for the insect. There were many of these shapes scattered in the circle. The students were then told to go and gather food (they could only gather their particular food(s) (one at a time, taking it to their bag before going back for more). Some birds could eat multiple types of foods. When all foods were gathered the educator had the kids count how much food they had and determine if they had eaten enough to survive - most did with no problem. This represented summer.
Then they did it again but this time they it was going to be winter and each student had to decide if he was going to stay for the winter or migrate. The educator then distributed the fake foods again. Within the circle there was less food available and different types (i.e. no flowers and fewer insects). Outside the circle to the south were scattered more foods (all kinds because it was south). Then eh children again gathered food based on their diet. IF they had chosen to stay they could only collect food from inside the circle. If they migrated they could only collect food from outside the circle but they had further to go to get back to their bags to collect it. After the food was collected the educator again gave them information about whether or not they would have survived based on how much food they had been able to collect. It was a great illustration of how some birds need to fly to southern latitudes to be able to find food (though they burn more calories in the process) and how other bird diets are adapted to northern latitudes and colder climate.
Now this was geared to our latitude (40 degrees north) so could be adapted or referenced as the starting point with your southern clime as a place northern birds would migrate to. I know I'm not remembering all the nuances to the game and don't recall all the specific species (hummingbird and finch were two of them) and proportions of food. I could call the center tomorrow and see if the education director would email me the directions if she has them in electronic form. Let me know.
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Mary M. in Denver
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Kelly
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| Posted: Aug 17 2007 at 10:24am | IP Logged
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Mary, thanks for the info. This sounds superbly suited to our (now) huge group (we planned on 10, now have 26 and most of them 10 yo boys! ). One part I don't follow, where you said in paragraph 2 that if the children migrated they could only collect food from outside the circle "but they had further to go to get back to their bags to collect it"...Did each kid get a baggy or something and have to stash it in a designated spot? Also, about how big was the "feeding circle"?
This could be a lot of fun. If you had the time to check for email directions, that would be great. But failing that, I'm sure we can, ahem....WING it
Kelly in FL
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Aug 17 2007 at 10:41am | IP Logged
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Kelly wrote:
Thanks, Theresa, EGGcellent ideas!
Kelly in FL |
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Kelly wrote:
But failing that, I'm sure we can, ahem....WING it
Kelly in FL |
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LOL! Kelly, you are really getting into the spirit of it, aren't you! Like a duck to water!LOL!
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Theresa
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lapazfarm
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That reminds me! An oldie but goodie: Duck, duck, goose!
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Theresa
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MaryM
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| Posted: Aug 17 2007 at 11:28am | IP Logged
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Kelly wrote:
| Did each kid get a baggy or something and have to stash it in a designated spot? Also, about how big was the "feeding circle"? |
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Yes, each student had a bag that they had to bring back their food to. They had to bring it one at a time (which prevents them from getting grabby and hoarding food so all have a chance at getting enough food).
The circle was about 15 ft. in diameter for about 15 children. I know she would have made it bigger for a larger group.
I called the center and they don't have office hours on Friday so couldn't talk to anybody. I'll check on Monday for you if that gives you enough time. Which day next week is this scheduled for - later in the week? Even if she doesn't have an elecrtronic version I can find out bird types and food numbers/proportions.
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Mary M. in Denver
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Kelly
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| Posted: Aug 21 2007 at 8:37pm | IP Logged
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Well, sorry I didn't write sooner---overwhelmed with birdish activities. Bird Camp is already underway, going all this week and moving apace! Mary-thanks for the kind offer to call, but don't worry about it, thanks to your details, I think we can figure it out. It sounds like a very instructional (and fun!) game.
We did owl pellets Monday-a huge hit. we made faux edible owl pellets from rice crispies, crunchy peanut butter and chopped up white chocolate to simulate bones. Also a very big hit.
Day two, sans owl pellets (a tough act to follow) was a little less exciting, but still positive. Tomorrow we'll do egg stuff-lots of good activities.
Thank you all for your great input.
Kelly, Birdwoman in FL
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Bird Camp Organization
