[mou] Birding in the Classrooms

[Beth_MSN]

Hi Melissa,

There are several organizations (Wildlife Science Center, The Raptor Center,
several local nature centers) that do fee-based programs taking live raptors
into classrooms around the state.  There is also some great curriculum out
there. 

Since you live in Prior Lake, your boys probably go to Jeffers Pond
Elementary School or Five Hawks.  They have a school naturalist who works
with students in their school forests and she does some cool birding things
with them.  If you are interested in volunteering there, contact Cara
Rieckenberg (their Environmental Education Coordinator) at
crieckenberg at priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us  or Andrea Swanson (Naturalist) at
aswanson at priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us	

If you are interested in teaching K-8th grade students about birding, you
may want to attend a Flying WILD workshop (www.flyingwild.org) which is
offered by the Minnesota DNR.  The Project WILD Coordinator is Jan Welsh.
You can reach her at (651)982-9720 or by e-mail at jan.welsh at dnr.state.mn.us
There is a Flying WILD / One Bird, Two Worlds workshop scheduled at the
Raptor Center on August 1st.   Flying WILD is a national activity guide,
while One Bird, Two Worlds was written in Minnesota for Minnesota classes.
For more information, visit
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/projectwild/index.html

Some really cool curriculum and activity guides can be found at
http://birdday.org/  This is the site for International Migratory Bird Day
and you will find items for sale and for free download there.

I facilitate some of the Flying WILD workshops and I have created a
comprehensive resource list I distribute to participants.  If you'd like a
copy, send me an e-mail and I'll reply with it as an attached WORD document.
Let me know if you need it in a different format.

Several of the local Audubon chapters have Minnesota Ornithologist Union
Youth Mentorship Kits to help teach students about habitat and bird
identification.  Their volunteers take classes, scout groups, etc. on bird
walks using good quality binoculars.  Being an expert birds is NOT required;
only a passion for sharing your love of birds and nature with others is all
that is necessary.

Happy birding!

Beth Girard
Cambridge, MN
Beth_girard at msn.com





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Message: 5
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 15:36:27 -0400
From: Melissa Knaak <misola11 at aol.com>
Subject: [mou] Birding in the classrooms, looking for volunteer,
	expert.
To: mou-net at moumn.org
Message-ID: <8CA7F59F16893AC-1084-4DE at WEBMAIL-MC03.sysops.aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I hope this is appropriate for this list.? I am only on this one birding
list and am new to this whole "family" networking of birders and I have a
question:

I have thought about this for years now.? I have two boys in 2nd and 6th (8
and 12) grade now that go to a private school in Prior Lake and in this
school the parents do alot of with volunteering and that includes ideas for
field trips, classroom activities, etc.? I am an avid birder!!? I am no
expert, but I simply love birds and especially am fascinated by raptors.? I
can never seem to learn enough about them and have passed this "hobby" or
"appreciation" to my boys and have always thought what a terrific idea it
would be if I could find someone that comes into the classrooms and teaches
the kids (and teachers too) about birds, the significance and importance of
them and how to start noticing them around you and maybe they have some
materials and even better birds to bring in for a "show and tell"
experience.? I think it is also great that the school is near Cleary Lake
where there is an Osprey nest, there is a great learning experience there I
have thought about as well.? My boys have learned much these past years and
I would like to pass that on to others in the community so we could get more
of an awareness out there.? 

Any ideas on who, what, where to contact for such info??

Thanks so much fellow birders!
Melissa
Prior Lake/Shakopee
Scott County, MN
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