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CCEP green heron logo Calvin College Ecosystem Preserve

WINTER 2016EDUCATORS

NEWSLETTER

IN THIS ISSUE:

Monarch Bu t te r f l i esEduca to rsWorkshop

Pro fess iona lDeve lopen t a t the

Preserve

Reg is te r Today fo rWin te r Programs

Insp i r ing Ideas fo rthe C lass room

 

Walking trails are open tothe public every day from

dawn to dusk.

Bunker In te rp re t i veCente r (B IC) hours

Academic year:M–F  9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Summer:M–F  8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Closed weekends and

MONARCH BUTTERFLIESEDUCATORS WORKSHOPThis spring, monarchbutterflies from Mexicobegin their annual 2,000mile migration to theU.S. and Canada. Thepowerful story of themonarch butterflyinspired the emergence of the Monarch Teacher Network in2001 and its Canadian partners in 2003. This summer, anexciting opportunity for teachers is coming to South Haven,MI. Teaching and Learning With Monarch Butterflies is atwo-day teacher workshop combining classroom and fieldexperiences. It enables pre-K through 12th grade educators toteach essential skills in literacy, math, science, geography,technology, Spanish, the arts and social studies … all throughthe captivating story of monarchs. Teachers complete theworkshop with all the materials they need to bring thisexciting and dynamic subject into their classrooms.Workshops are taught by a team of experienced classroomteachers and educators. Participants are provided with theknowledge, skills, materials and confidence to raise monarchsin the classroom, and create an outstanding learningexperience for their students.

Each participant receives:

Hands-on instruction by experienced teachers

Rearing cages

Books, posters, DVDs and other essential materials

holidays.Admission to the trails and

BIC is free.

1750 East Beltline Ave. SEGrand Rapids, MI 49546calvin.edu/go/preserve

(616) 526-7600

 

Strategies for butterfly gardens and “Monarch Parades”

Inquiry-based science activities for all abilities

Activities for Mexican/pre-Hispanic culture, history andSpanish language

Activities for language arts, math, social studies, drama,and fine arts

Distance learning projects with schools inCanada/Mexico/California

Proven models for engaging community support

Post-workshop ongoing support

You will find more information in the Monarch TeacherNetwork flyer.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTAT THE PRESERVE

A group of National Heritage Academy Young 5 teachersparticipated in a Growing Up WILD workshop here at thepreserve last week.  They spent an inspiring inservice dayacquiring new skills in effectively using the outdoors as ateaching resource.  Through hands-on demonstrations ofinteractive activities, the group gained the experience andconfidence needed to integrate the interdisciplinarycurriculum into their teaching.  Comments from the workshopinclude:

"Loved this class!  Engaging, hands-on, practical -excellent ideas!"

"I would highly suggest others take this course. Jeanette (facilitator) was engaging and knows herstuff."

As you make your professional development plans for nextyear, consider an environmental education workshop at thepreserve!  If you like the "Inspiring Ideas" in this edition ofour newsletter, you'll love the award-winning Flying WILDworkshop; it will have your students celebrating migratorybirds through hands-on field investigation, involving languagearts, social science, math, and even service learning.  For moreinformation about all the workshops we offer, click here.

B A C K T O T O P

REGISTER TODAY FOR WINTERPROGRAMSDuring the winter, we offerour Critters in the Coldprogram for grades Pre-K to6th. This hands-on programallows students to learnmore about how animalscope with the cold throughone of the followingmethods: hibernation,migration, dormancy, orremaining active. It providesopportunities for the students to observe animals and/or signsof these animals in the preserve, and to discuss variousadaptations that active animals use to survive Michiganwinters. The program takes place both outside in the preserveand in the Bunker Interpretive Center. Winter programs runFebruary 8 - 26. Programs are 90 minutes in length, and cost$3 per student. Currently, National Heritage Academy schoolsare eligible to attend our programs free of charge, thanks to afunding grant.

For more information visitour website, or contact JulieWilbourn to register yourclass. To register, we willneed your name and school,grade level, number ofstudents and adults,preferred dates/times, andthe best way to contact you.

Like our programs? Tellothers about us! Feel free to forward this e-mail to yourcolleagues, and spread the word that the best way to learnabout the natural world is by spending time in it.

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INSPIRING IDEAS FOR THECLASSROOMEach newsletter, we will share with you some of our favoriteways to get students outside learning about the naturalenvironment. You do not need to have forests or fieldssurrounding your school; school yards can work just as wellfor experiential learning. Our school yard activities are hands-on, require few supplies, and are easily adaptable to meet yourstudents’ needs. We will also share with you some of ourfavorite storybooks, art projects, and other resources toenhance learning in the classroom. Additional ideas andphotos of art projects and storybooks can be found on ourPinterest page.

BIRDING

Wherever we are, there is a constantreminder of the natural world inwhich we live - birds!  As we lookforward to the Great Backyard BirdCount during February 12-15, weoffer you ways to incorporate birdinginto your classroom activities thiswinter and spring.  With trees bare ofleaves in winter and migrationoccurring in spring, these two seasons are excellent times forobserving and identifying wild birds in your school yard ornearby park.  Below are some resources to help you get startedbirding with your students.

LEARN ABOUT BIRDS

All About Birds:  If you are new to birding, check out  thiswebsite managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, aninternational leader in the study and conservation of birds. From a section on birding basics to an extensive onlineidentification guide (complete with recordings of songs and

calls), it contains everything you need to get started.

Merlin Bird ID:  This free app for your smart device helpsstudents identify birds they observe 'in the field'.  It wascreated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and is simple to use— just tell it where & when you saw the bird, then choosegenerally what it looked like and what it was doing from a listof options.  Merlin will provide a short list of photos for thebird you most likely saw, based on the day and location.  Onceyou find a match, you can instantly learn more about thespecies.

Bird Sleuth:  Studying birds is an accessible and fun way tobring real science to students.  From making observations andasking questions, to collecting data and publishing results,BirdSleuth creates practicing scientists with resources thatengage youth in their own investigations.  It is designed by theCornell Lab of Ornithology, specifically for teachers and homeschool parents to use in the classroom.  Educators purchasereasonably priced kits to get started.

CREATE A FEEDING STATION

A feeding station is a sure way to spot birds, especially whenyou can’t get outside.  Birds feed regularly during winter andspring because they are burning extra calories to maintaintheir body temperature and migrate long distances.  Whileyour students are learning to ID species, have them take videoof the activity around the feeder; it will help to be able topause and replay images and sounds of bird calls.

Top 10 feeder birds you'll very likely see in Michiganduring winter:  Black-capped Chickadee, DownyWoodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Goldfinch,Dark-eyed Junco, Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, NorthernCardinal, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Tufted Titmouse.

Top feeds for these birds:  Primarily black oil sunflowerseed and sunflower chips, also safflower, suet, shelled peanuts,and striped sunflower seed, followed by Nyjer thistle.

Choose a feeder:  Different types of feeders combined withdifferent types of feed will attract different bird species. Usinga hanging tube feeder with a tray filled with black oilsunflower seed, and a hanging wire cage feeder filled with suet

should attract the top 10 birds named above.

Make a tube feeder:  Punch holes on either side and nearthe bottom of a plastic pop bottle. Slide a twig or woodenspoon all the way through the holes, leaving the endsprotruding on either side of the bottle for perches. Makeanother dime-sized hole just above each perch for the birds topull the seeds out. Tie twine around the top and hang thebottle. Fill using a paper funnel.

Make a suet feeder:  Save the plastic mesh bag when youbuy produce at the grocery. Just put a suet cake in it, and tiethe top with twine.

A few more feeder tips:

Placement of the feeder:  Ideally, the feeder will be 3 ft.from a window (close enough for students to see, andhelps protect the birds from window collisions), andwithin 10-12 ft. of shrubbery (helps the birds feel safe byproviding cover from predators).

Make it low maintenance:  Use feed with shelled seeds(no clean up) and sterile thistle (won’t germinate) foundat garden supply stores.

Avoid avian disease:  Clean the feeders once a monthwith a mixture of warm soapy water and a capful or twoof household bleach.

Deter squirrels:  If you use a narrow pole to hang afeeder, place a baffle on the pole (a smooth metal sleeveor cone that prevents climbing). The most effectivefeeders tip, or have perches that close the feeder, whensomething as heavy as a squirrel sits on it.

Provide water:  Birds need water to drink and to clean theirfeathers for optimal health, waterproofing, insulation andefficient flight.  Therefore, they are as attracted to water as

they are food.  Some birds prefer ground baths and someprefer pedestal or hanging baths, so if possible provide bathsat both heights.  Using a shallow container, fill it about 1 inchdeep with water, and place a flat stone in it for perching.  Placethe bath nearby a feeder and shrubbery, but in an open areathat will allow the birds to spot predators.

PARTICIPATE IN A B IRD COUNT

No single scientist or team of scientists could hope todocument and understand the complex distribution andmovements of the 10,000 bird species around the world. Participating in a bird count is a great way to involve yourstudents in a global project that helps scientists in real-time! Students are motivated when they understand their data ismeaningful to scientists investigating far-reaching questions,such as: how the weather affects bird populations, why somepopulations fluctuate greatly each year, how disease affectsbirds in different regions, and how diversity varies by urbanand natural locations. During a count, you can explore whatothers are seeing in your area or around the world.  Enjoy theimages pouring in from across the globe, and share your ownbird photos online.

Project FeederWatch is a winter-long survey of birds that visitfeeders at backyards, school yards, nature centers, communityareas, and other areas in North America.    Participantsperiodically count the birds they see at their feeders fromNovember through early April and send their counts to ProjectFeederWatch.  This data helps scientists track broad scalemovements and long-term trends of winter bird populations. There is a small fee to participate in this Cornell Lab ofOrnithology project.

The Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to displayresults in near real-time.  Since then, people of all ages andwalks of life have joined the count each February to create anannual snapshot of the distribution and abundance of birds. To participate, simply tally the numbers and kinds of birdsyou see in any location for 15 minutes on one day of the count. In 2015, Great Backyard Bird Count participants in more than100 countries broke the record by counting 5,090 species ofbirds on more than 147,000 checklists!  This tool is free ofcharge.BONUS:  Teachers are invited to a free webinar on theevening of February 4th: “Great Backyard Bird Count forEducators.”

EBird. Here at the preserve, we keep a journal and record thedate that we see each bird species return in spring, as well astheir breeding behavior.  If you want to keep track of all ofyour spring bird sightings like we do, sign up for an eBirdaccount.  EBird is a real-time, online checklist program thatallows you to record and track your sightings, and also seewhat other birders are observing in your area.  As a bonus,your observations (combined with others in the internationalnetwork of eBird users) are shared with a global community ofeducators, land managers, ornithologists, and conservationbiologists working to conserve birds.  Click here for moreinformation about using eBird with students.  This tool is freeto use.

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Calvin College  |  3201 Burton St. SE  |  Grand Rapids, MI, 49546 USA  |  www.calvin.edu

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