“Using the real world is the way learning has happened for 99.9% of human existence. Only in the last hundred years have we put it in a little box called a classroom.”
Would you like a way to meld technology with outdoor learning while meaningfully connecting students to the required curriculum? Citizen Science projects can do just that! Anyone can be a citizen scientist: any age, race, any curious mind, ranging from amateur to professional; any group or person who can collect data carefully and share it accurately. If you visit Scistarter, you’ll find around 3000 projects to choose from, launching your classroom into the solutions of real-world problems. How fun!
I’d like to speak today about the first project I got involved with and one I think is terrific for kids, the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). Since 1998, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society has been recruiting citizen scientists worldwide to collect bird data and report it back online. Every February for 4 days, more than 160,000 volunteers spot local birds, reporting it onto a simple webpage where scientists collect the data needed to study changing bird populations due to natural fluctuations, human encroachment and climate change. This is a project that can get students much appreciated time outdoors connecting them simultaneously to their local environment and the larger world.
To participate, you’ll need to do a bit of prep work, but that’s what I’m here for. And if this can’t happen this month, relax. You can report bird lists throughout the year, honing your skills and preparing for next year’s count. You can also work year-round with your students to create a school yard habitat to attract birds. The GBBC is an annual event but data collection is encouraged daily. This year’s event is scheduled for February 14-17, 2020.
Getting Started
Step 1: Create an eBird account online. Make a personal account for yourself to start a life list and contribute counts on your personal time and/or make a group account for your classroom. If you envision students having access to the account password, a classroom specific account makes sense. To help guide you through the start of this endeavor, make some time to watch the free eBird Essentials introductory course online.
One aspect I love is that eBird stores your lists over time (even sharing annual reports) so you will eventually have data for analysis as you collect year to year. It also reports worldwide data which can be used for classroom discussions and be applied to other lessons as you see fit.
Step 2: On your smartphone or tablet (and possibly your classroom devices), download the Merlin bird identification app. It’s free and again, very easy to navigate. You will need to download the bird pack for your geographical region (I add regional packs when I travel). This app considers your location and time to determine the most likely birds to be in your area. You will input the same data for every search: location, relative size (they provide a great graphic), main colors and finally behavior (check from a list). You make your best judgements and it is easy to change your mind if you are fumbling between choices. The app will give you a list of potential birds to select from with more information to help you decide. You’ll get a series of images of each species, including differences between genders and age. You’ll also get a range map and recordings of calls and songs. Not only are you identifying the bird but learning as you make choices!
Step 3: Practice. Take 10-30 minutes here and there to sit and watch. Use the app to learn its nuances. Sit with the app and scroll through the bird lists. To prepare ahead of time for a birding session with your students, both eBird and Merlin allows you to filter a list of likely birds for your area and the time of year. Use these lists to pre-teach likely bird sightings, preparing everyone for more accurate data collection and instilling confidence in apprehensive students.
And don’t worry, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology doesn’t leave you hanging with two computer programs and hundreds of birds to choose from. They also have classroom lessons connected to standards, data collection sheets to print off, more advice on how to get started and birding online courses, some for free, others ranging in price from $30-$100. They do run sales on those courses too, so keep an eye out.
So why even bother? Your classroom time is precious and at first glance this can seem like a big hassle. But there is reward for your efforts. You can connect this lesson to nearly any subject, and these activities develop skills students need to be academically successful. Birding, and participation in any citizen science project is a lesson in cooperation, quiet observation, accuracy, organization and connects students to something bigger than themselves. I’m an adult and I still geek out knowing the data I collect can be used for research! And in my experience, the students love that too. It makes them feel valued and important.
Check out my recommendations below for binoculars and field guides that may help you get started, but before I go, one story about a reluctant birder.
My oldest son is now 12 years old. He is in middle school. He is athletic and really interested in music. He is cool. I, am not cool. When asked by my sons which superpower I’d most want, I reported “binocular-eyes” so I am always ready to spot birds. This did not earn me cool points.
When he was much younger we found ourselves on a hike on an oddly foggy day, and in the mist of the fog we spied a great blue heron which I remember looked so regal. My son was maybe 5 years old, so creeping in on the bird in the fog was a great adventure for us. Listening to bird calls while waiting for the bus was tolerable up until the 4th grade but not since. Watching osprey build a nest between his soccer games at a tournament in Virginia was weird. And if you asked him point blank if he likes birds or birding he says no, but he has more birding skills than he is copping to. Well, about 1 month ago, while working at my office desk which looks out into our front yard, my son and his friends were playing roller hockey in the street. The first thing he did with his new skates was to remove his brake; he loves to go fast and do tricks. I’m watching the boys play a bit, always amazed at how much more physical and braver and adventurous he is; more so than I ever was. But then I heard the call. I think it was a group of geese, honking as they passed. None of the kids took notice…...except for mine. He stopped mid-game, looked up, tracked the birds until they were out of view and I smiled and thought, “HA, I’m in there somewhere”. And his ability or maybe it’s his willingness, to stop and notice wildlife is a habit I’ve taught him!
Learning new things is fun. Every time I watch birds, I learn something new. I encourage you to try this out for yourself and for your students. Good luck to you and happy birding, Rachel
Binoculars
One of the things that hooks kids into birding is the binoculars! I haven’t tried out many different brands for students to use, but I do have a class set of these eFast kids folding binoculars. They are compact and easy to store. So far they’ve held up under typical wear and tear. They see far enough for simple birding trips around a schoolyard and I found them to be reasonably priced.
Field Guide
I like Sibley’s field guide, although I do think the choice is personal. National Geographic, Peterson and others also publish guides. Get the latest version of whichever you choose and consider this: how heavy of a book do you want to be toting around with you on trips? Note, this book only covers eastern North America, so buy the right book for your region and which will cover your typical travels.
Folding Guides
These folding guides are terrific to have in the classroom. If you consider student birding groups of 3: 1 spotter uses the binoculars, 1 collects data and 1 is in charge of the field guide and/or app, it will reduce cost and create reasonable work for every student. Make sure to buy the guides for your geographic region. These smaller guides are better than books for student use as they are laminated, easy to carry and include fewer birds (so it isn’t so overwhelming). I had a class collect data directly onto the guide with dry erase markers once. It worked really well!