Posts Tagged ‘birds’

Origami Art Lessons

April 24th, 2021

Origami Club

(en.origami-club.com/)

All grades, with parental supervision

 

Origami is the art of folding paper into fun figures, interesting designs, and works of art. This ClickScholar-recommended site is one of the best origami sites we’ve seen. It was designed by graphic designer and artist, Fumiaki Shingu, as a way to share the magic of Japanese origami with people worldwide.

When you get to the site you’ll see a menu of origami possibilities that include folding paper into: 

  • Sea Creatures
  • Bugs
  • Fruits & Vegetables
  • Animals & Birds
  • Sweets & Food
  • Paper Air Planes
  • Holiday Decorations
  • Alphabet Letters
  • Numbers
  • Furniture
  • Clothes
  • Using Newspaper for Origami

And there is even a section of “Easy Origami” for beginners! Click on any one of the options and a new screen opens with a selection of designs. Click on a design of interest, and a new page opens with complete instructions and animated illustrations that simplify the whole process. Anyone can learn the art of origami with the use of this website!

Encyclopedia of Animal History & Biology

March 16th, 2021

Animal Diversity Web

(animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html)

Grades K-Adult, with parental supervision

 

The University of Michigan’s Museum of Zoology sponsors this amazing searchable encyclopedia of the natural history of animals that is also a science tool and virtual museum!

When you get to the site you’ll see a picture of a featured animal such as “Insects.” Click on the black arrows on either side of the photo to see more pictures of the phyla represented including: 

  • Amphibians
  • Birds
  • Fish
  • Insects
  • Mammals
  • Mollusks
  • Reptiles

Click on any item on the menu and a new page opens with an introduction and a menu on the right side of the page that allows you to explore: 

  • Pictures – See terrific photos of the creatures in this category. Click on any small picture to see an enlarged version.
  • Specimens – See photos of specimen collections by zoologists.
  • Classification – Explore the scientific names of animals including kingdom, phylum, and class. In some instances, you can listen to the sound a creature makes, and see a map of its habitat.

BUT WAIT! There’s more! Use the menu located on the left side of the page to explore the Special Collections. This section includes: 

  • Mammal Anatomy – Provides detailed information about every aspect of animal anatomy.
  • Spinning Skulls – View QuickTime movies and close-up images of mammal skulls.
  • Frog Calls – Listen to an array of frog calls used to attract mates and express distress.
  • And more!

Bookmark this site to return often.

The Annual Great Backyard Bird Count is Coming

February 2nd, 2021

The Great Backyard Bird Count

(www.birdcount.org/)

All grades, with parental supervision

 

Mark your calendars and get ready to participate in “The Great Backyard Bird Count” scheduled for February 12-15, 2021.

This annual event, sponsored by the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society, is your opportunity to join a citizen-science project (for kids, teens, and adults) that helps scientists collect data and investigate far-reaching questions about bird populations. It only takes as little as 15 minutes on one day. You simply count the birds you see in your backyard and turn in the results. It’s free, fun, and easy – and it helps the scientists to help the birds.

To learn how to participate go to The Great Backyard Bird Count website. Use the menu to register, learn about birds, and view the bird photo gallery.

Virtual Tour of the Butchart Gardens

October 2nd, 2020

 

It’s Friday, October 2, 2020, and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

 

Recommended Website:

The Butchart Gardens

(www.butchartgardens.com/a-virtual-visit/)

Age Range: All (All grades; children with parental supervision)

 

Visit the incredible Butchart Gardens in British Columbia, Canada with this website that offers a free virtual tour! To really appreciate the gardens it’s helpful to know some history about them.

In 1888, Robert Butchart manufactured cement near limestone deposits on Vancouver Island where he and his family lived. As his business exhausted the limestone in the quarry near their home, Mrs. Butchart came up with the idea of transforming the abandoned quarry into a spectacular “Sunken Garden.” She had top soil hauled in and began the renovation.

The Butcharts were world travelers and it influenced the design of their gardens. They created a Japanese Garden with Koi pond, transformed a tennis court into an Italian Garden, and planted a spectacular Rose Garden. Mr. Butchart collected birds from all over the world and had elaborate bird houses constructed throughout the gardens. They decorated their garden with artifacts including bronze castings.

The renown of the Butchart Gardens spread. Today, close to a million people visit annually, enjoying the year-round display of floral beauty created from over 900 varieties of plants.

From the menu, choose: 

  • Sunken Garden
  • Rose Garden
  • Japanese Garden
  • Italian Garden
  • Mediterranean Garden
  • and more

So much color and beauty in one place!

Bird Nest Cams!

September 15th, 2020

 

It’s Tuesday, September 15, 2020, and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

 

Recommended Website:

Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Nest Cams

(www.allaboutbirds.org/cams/)

Age Range: All (All grades; children with parental supervision)

 

Bookmark this site now! The Cornell Lab of Ornithology sponsors this website that provides live feed from cameras trained on bird nests. You can watch a wide variety of birds as they tend their nests. See eggs, hatchlings, and watch the mama and papa birds feed their young. This is a fascinating view of the world of birds.

When you get to the site you’ll see some featured birds cams. Click on the one you want to watch or scroll over the Live Cam menu and click on All Cams to see them all including: 

  • Panama Fruit Feeders
  • Red-tailed Hawks
  • Savannah Ospreys
  • Barred Owls
  • and many more!

Click on any one, and a new page opens for your viewing delight. (Some link to other sites with live cams; some are videos of past viewings.)

When you are done watching the birds, be sure to check out the menu for lots of information on birds including courses!

Want to help scientists learn more about birds? Then, become a certified NestWatch monitor. Click here for details.

This is a wonderful demonstration of how science and technology blend to create amazing learning opportunities for us all.

See the National Aquarium Virtually

August 14th, 2020

 

It’s Friday, August 14, 2020, and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

 

Recommended Website:

National Aquarium

(aqua.org/explore)

Age Range: All (all grades; children with parental supervision)

 

This website provides a glimpse of the over 20,000 fish, amphibians, reptiles, marine mammals, and birds living at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland.

When arriving at the site, you’ll see: 

  • Exhibits – Learn about the exhibit and the animals in that exhibit.
  • Animals – You can search for an animal by type, range or exhibit or scroll over the animal you are interested in for a brief description. Then “Learn More” to get an overview and quick facts on each animal including: 
    • Range
    • Diet
    • Size
    • Population Status
    • Predators

You can also see information on each caretaker. Here is a list of some of the animals at the aquarium: 

  • Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin
  • Blue Blubber Jelly
  • Emperor Angelfish
  • Green Sea Turtle
  • Laughing Kookabura
  • Percula Clownfish
  • And so many more!
  • Live Streams – Black Tip Reef, Jellies Invasion, and Pacific Coral Reef. When arriving at the chosen webcam page, not only can you see the exhibit in real time (only live during business hours), but you can learn about the location and some of the animals that are part of the exhibit.

It would be fun to challenge your students to find the listed animals while watching the live feed.

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