Discovering Birds
Who: Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory & 3rd grade classrooms in area school districts
What: Discovering Birds field trip program
Where: School Forest Clubhouse, Bay View Elementary (8708 Vinland Street, Proctor, MN)
When: April & May, 2010
Cost: We have received generous grants from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation and the Donald Weesner Foundation to cover each classroom's fees and bussing. Each field trip is COMPLETELY FREE.
How: Contact Debbie Waters for more information!
Debbie Waters
Education Director
Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory
dwaters@hawkridge.org
218.428.3539
Hawk Ridge has developed an exciting new program for third grade students! Discovering Birds is intended as an introduction to birds and provides activities and learning based on the scientific method. Students will learn to recognize the birds in their world, understand that facts in reference books come from real world research, design a basic research project, carry it out using the scientific method and then report on their efforts. In the process of their research, students will get close-up, hands-on experiences with songbirds and songbird banding.
As companion programs, your third graders will have the opportunity to participate in our Raptors in the Classroom program as 4th graders and in our Experience Hawk Ridge field trip to Hawk Ridge as 5th graders.
Things to Know
Dress for success! This field trip is an OUTDOOR field trip and students should be dressed appropriately for a relatively sedate 90-minute outdoor experience in the Northland spring climate. On some days snow pants and winter jackets are appropriate; on others, jeans and t-shirts are. Students should be prepared for the weather conditions; that includes winter hats, scarves and gloves or mittens if necessary. Muddy conditions are a possibility, so boots are an excellent choice.
We love it when students are wearing easily-readable name tags! It makes the experience SO much more personal and really helps to facilitate our discussions. Sticky mailing labels work great for this purpose (the 30/page size).
Students are discouraged from bringing anything to the program. All equipment, materials and supplies will be provided. Teachers and chaperones, however, may want to consider bringing cameras!
Facilities: one outdoor classroom with wooden benches and a beautiful school forest with trails. Bathrooms are available inside the elementary school building.
Directions from US 2 heading either north or south in Proctor, Minnesota. Turn EAST onto Boundary Avenue at the US 2 / Boundary Avenue intersection. Continue to the stop sign at Vinland Street and turn RIGHT. Continue several blocks and either pull over along Vinland Street in front of the elementary school or pull into the parking lot BEFORE the elementary school. We will meet your bus.
Scheduling
Your experience with our educators will last 90 minutes. We will schedule each classroom separately; our field trip is designed for classes of up to 35 students.
You need to schedule your own bussing; have your
transportation provider send the invoice to: Call Debbie: 218.428.3539 Email Debbie:
dwaters@hawkridge.org (best)
Hawk Ridge
P.O. Box 3006
Duluth, MN 55803
