Bird Models

Grade 1 children chose a bird to study - writing a report and completing scientific drawings. The culminating task for them was to create a life-size 3-dimensional model of their birds. To do this, they had to get the measurements from texts or online, then sketch out as proportionally accurate diagram as they could manage. The next step involved making choices to see which materials they would need to create their birds. They needed to tell me how many Styrofoam balls at each available size they needed, which color feathers, pipe cleaners, and foam for the beaks/feet.

The shopping list included:

Styrofoam balls: 7 - 1", 8 - 2", 19 - 3", 20 - 4", 5 - 8"
Feathers: everyone needed black and white, most needed brown, 15 - grey, 11 - yellow, 9 - red, 5 - green, 3 - blue, 2 - pink, 1 - orange
Foam for Beaks: black - 13, yellow - 13, grey - 11, brown - 5, orange - 1
Pipe Cleaners: black - 10; orange - 6; yellow - 4; grey - 2; brown - 1

When I had finished the shopping, and brought the ordered materials into the class, the children began construction. The last instruction was that the birds needed to be able to stand up freely.

Clearly this was an integrated activity involving math, language arts, science, and enhanced the development of intellectual, creative, physical, emotional, and social growth.

Following are photos that document the process.