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birds

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

November 4, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’m excited to make this fun animal soap carving and a quick study on a swan. Also, look at this Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests.

Carving with soft soap bars is a great way to practice fine motor skills, safe knife skills, and is fantastic for relaxation.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

I chose to make this carving of a swan because they are such beautiful and graceful creatures and worked beautifully with the white soap.

Swans are birds found in wetlands, ponds, rivers, and lakes around the United States,

I am not going to just leave it there though, you will have tons of facts, resources, and more to help you with your own swan study before I am through.

First, look at these quick facts about swans.

8 Swan Facts

There is much to learn about swans whether they are a topic on their own or part of a larger study on lakes or ponds.

  1. There are both black and white species of swans. Black swans are found in southeast and southwest Australia as well as Tasmania, but white swans can be found throughout Canada, Northern United States, and Alaska.
  2. Male swans are called cobs, females are pens, and young are called cygnets.
  3. Swans choose a partner and stay together for their whole life. If their mate dies they will mourn for a while just like people and may or may not find a new mate.
  4. Swans can eat as much as eight pounds of food per day, they have big appetites and need to consume 20% to 25% of their bodyweight each day.
  5. While most mammals only have 7 neck vertebrae, swans have 24 or 25.
  6. Trumpeter swans are the largest waterfowl native to North America and they are also the heaviest flying birds in North America. Their wingspans can reach up to 10 feet wide and can weigh up to 30 pounds.
  7. Swans have a long lifespan, In the wild swans can live for over 20 years.
  8. Amazingly swans can sleep on land on one leg or while floating in the water.
How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Then, look at some bird resources or ideas for animal soap carvings.

More Bird Resources for a Fun Animal Soap Carving

  • How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing
  • Galapagos Islands Animals Fun and Simple Watercolor Flamingo Tutorial
  • Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas
  • Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet
  • Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play
  • How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock
  • Free Bird Journal – Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)
  • North American Robin Bird Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Bird Craft For Kindergarten Make an Adorable Fun American Robin Foot Print
  • Beautiful Bald Eagle Fun Facts And Torn Paper Bird Craft
  • Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
  • How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft
  • How to Make a Kid’s Fun and Easy Bird Nest Activity
  • How to Make an Easy Jumbo Stick Bird Feeder with Kids

Your kids will love my Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan
  • Dynamic Delightful Bird Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    Dynamic Delightful Bird Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    $4.00
    Add to cart

Also, here are more activities to learn about swan.

Swan Unit Study Activities

  • 7 Fun Facts About Swan | How to Create a Handprint Swan

Next, look at these resources for a study of a swan.

Resources for a Quick Study of Swans

7 Swan Quick Unit Study Resources

Read The Trumpet of The Swan as your read aloud during your study, it is a wonderful classic by E.B. White..

The Trumpet of the Swan

Like the rest of his family, Louis is a trumpeter swan. But unlike his four brothers and sisters, Louis can't trumpet joyfully. In fact, he can't even make a sound. And since he can't trumpet his love, the beautiful swan Serena pays absolutely no attention to him.

Louis tries everything he can think of to win Serena's affection—he even goes to school to learn to read and write. But nothing seems to work. Then his father steals him a real brass trumpet. Is a musical instrument the key to winning Louis his love?

Photo Credit: www.youtube.com

Needle Felting: The Swan

Challenge yourself to make this needlefelted swan next, a beautiful handiwork craft.

Photo Credit: www.thecrafttrain.com

Paper roll swan craft

These swans are particularly simple to create, the first time we made them was back when the girls were princess-obsessed preschoolers.

Photo Credit: backyardsummercamp.com

Origami Swan Step-by-Step Craft Tutorial

Create a paper wonder by following this Origami Swan Step-by-Step Craft Tutorial.

Photo Credit: www.youtube.com

Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake - The Kirov Ballet

Take in some of the beautiful music and dance of Tchaikovsky’s  SwanLake

White Swan Figurine Animals Figures Project Diorama Model

4PCS farm animals figures. Kid can use these plastic animals farm toys to build their own farm up. Farm sets for kids can bring happy.

Farm Animal figurines farm toys set made of environment friendly materials.Good quality and durable to deal with lots of play.

Swan Lake

A prince's love for a swan queen overcomes an evil sorcerer's spell in this fairy tale adaptation of the classic ballet

Finally, look how to make this fun animal soap carving.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving

A soft soap like Ivory carves nicely with simple tools like plastic knives and toothpicks.

It is a great size for small hands and makes a good new medium for an art project.

You will need:

  • Ivory soap bars
  • Toothpicks
  • Wooden Skewers
  • Carving tools-Dollar Tree (optional)
How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

First, open soap a few days ahead of when you are ready to use it and allow it to dry out for 2-5 days, the longer the better.

It makes a little less mess and is easier to work with than if you carve it straight out of the package.

Scratch off the name of the soap with your tools.

Use a toothpick or wooden skewer to lightly outline the shape of the swan on both sides of the soap.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Continue scraping away at the edges of the soap, removing the bulk of the soap that is not part of the design, going all the way from one side of soap to the other.

Going slow and easy will allow you to get more details and less mistakes.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Once you have removed the bulk of the excess material scratch details like feathers deeper into the wings and tail to create some texture by going in different depths and avoid using perfectly straight lines.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Be sure to do all sides of your swan with all the feathering.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Add details like eyes and the beak with a toothpick, do both sides.

Use a smooth rounded tool to rub the edges smooth and flat.

If your child wants to keep their soap, you can seal it with a good lacquer sealer to preserve it.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: animals, birdjournal, birds, crafts, elementary science, homeschoolscience, life science, science, spring, spring crafts, swan

How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar And Favorite Amazon Rainforest Hummingbirds Facts

November 1, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Learn how to make DIY hummingbird nectar and get amazing Amazon Rainforest hummingbirds facts to make a wonderful study. And I have more ideas on my pages Rain Forest – Amazon, Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon, and Rainforest Amazon Activities for Kids.

Hummingbird nectar gives the birds energy for migration.

And helps keep them warm in cold weather.

How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar And Favorite Amazon Rainforest Hummingbirds Facts

Creating a source of food in a safe space can help attract these amazing birds to your backyard for closer observation.

While you won’t see the over 300+ species of hummingbirds in your backyard with your homemade hummingbird nectar and a feeder, you do have a great chance of spotting the Ruby Throated Hummingbird. It is the most common in North America.

7 Amazon Rainforest Hummingbird Facts

Beautiful and fast, these tiny birds are fascinating for many reasons.

  1. While hummingbirds most often drink plant nectar or sugar water from feeders, they also eat pollen and tiny insects such as beetles, bees, ants, and flies.
  2. The main predators of the hummingbird are hawks, praying mantis, bullfrogs, and giant orb-weaving spiders. Deforestation is also threatening their survival.
  3. The Amazon Rainforest of Colombia is a key habitat for over 150 species of hummingbirds.
  4. About 25 to 30 percent of a hummingbird’s weight is in its pectoral muscles. These broad chest muscles are principally responsible for the birds’ flying.
  5. Hummingbirds do not sip or suck nectar through their long bills as you may think, rather, they lick it with long, fringed, forked tongues.
  6. Hummingbirds have amazing memories and can remember every flower and feeder they’ve visited; they can even remember how long it takes for a certain flower to refill before they can visit again.
  7. A hummingbird’s pulse can surpass 1,200 beats per minute, this is the fastest heart rate of any bird.
How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar And Favorite Amazon Rainforest Hummingbirds Facts

Also, look at some of these books about hummingbirds.

Amazon Rainforest Hummingbird Books

As you know unit studies are a fantastic way to dive deep into a subject, whether you are studying the Amazon Rainforest or hummingbirds in particular hands-on activities, fun games, and manipulatives make the learning so much better.

Books and Resources for Learning About Hummingbirds

Add a few of these resources to your unit study.

Tiny Bird: A Hummingbird's Amazing Journey

When the last summer flowers open their petals to the sun, it’s time for a tiny ruby-throated hummingbird to dip its beak into the heart of each bloom, extracting as much nectar as possible before the hard trip ahead.

The Hummingbird Book: The Complete Guide to Attracting, Identifying, and Enjoying Hummingbirds

With this comprehensive, beautifully illustrated guide, you'll find it easy to attract these tiny, jewel-like birds to your own yard. The Stokes Hummingbird Book  provides all the information you need to bring hummingbirds up close, identify them, and understand their fascinating and varied behavior.

Hummingbird Soft Toy

Come and hum along to the tune of joy with this Hummingbird stuffed animal.

About Hummingbirds: A Guide for Children

The beautifully detailed, realistic paintings of noted wildlife illustrator John Sill introduce readers to the many varieties of hummingbirds—from the smallest type (the bee hummingbirds of Cuba) to the largest (the giant hummingbirds of the Andes Mountains in South America). An afterword inspires further learning. This beginner's guide to hummingbirds is perfect for early childhood and elementary units in science and animal life.

Birds & Blooms Ultimate Guide to Hummingbirds

CHAPTERS 1. Hummingbird Basics & Beyond 2. Feeding 101 3. Create a Winning Hummingbird-Friendly Habitat 4. Best Plant Picks 5. Beyond the Backyard 6. Hummingbird Tales 7. Ask the Experts 8. DIY Projects

Mini Hummingbird Finger Puppet

  • Easily animate this engaging Hummingbird plush puppet on your finger, or snuggle in the palm of your hand
  • Ideal for stage and puppet theater, storytelling, teaching, daycare, pre-school, pretend play, role-playing, presentations, games, parties and gifts
  • Little jewel bird (Little jewel books)

    The adventure of finding and caring for a baby hummingbird.

    Add more hands-on activities to your study.

    Hands-on Hummingbird Activities

    • For very young learners you can turn a cute little footprint and handprint into a Hummingbird Craft that makes a sweet keepsake of your study.
    • This tutorial will teach you how to Fold an Origami Hummingbird to make a beautiful paper representation of the subject.
    • Watch this video of the Dot Eared Coquette found in the Amazon Rainforest if you want to see one in its natural habitat.
    • Make a Faux Stained Glass Hummingbird to capture these colorful beauties in mid-flight.
    • Play a fun game as your science for the day like Professor Noggin’s Birds of North America instead of a boring worksheet.
    How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar And Favorite Amazon Rainforest Hummingbirds Facts

    Finally, look how to make this DIY nectar for hummingbirds.

    How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar

    Making hummingbird nectar to attract and nourish these tiny little birds is incredibly easy.

    While some people like to color their hummingbird nectar red, which is believed to attract hummingbirds, I opted not to because research has shown that hummers who have been fed dyed food have a higher mortality rate and suffer tumors of the liver and bill.

    You will need:

    • 2 cups water
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • Hummingbird feeder
    How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar And Favorite Amazon Rainforest Hummingbirds Facts

    First, bring the water to a boil.

    Stir in granulated sugar and whisk until it is completely melted.

    How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar And Favorite Amazon Rainforest Hummingbirds Facts

    Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

    Once cool, transfer to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

    How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar And Favorite Amazon Rainforest Hummingbirds Facts

    Transfer from the jar to the hummingbird feeder, you can find these in a variety of sizes. I linked this cute one above in the supply list.

    How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar And Favorite Amazon Rainforest Hummingbirds Facts

    Place a hummingbird feeder 10 to 15 feet from a tree, shrub, or other appropriate hiding place.

    Empty and refill the feeder every 3-4 days and clean it out well to prevent mold growth.

    Your hummingbird nectar will last in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

    How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar And Favorite Amazon Rainforest Hummingbirds Facts

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: birds, elementary science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, hummingbird, life cycle, life science, science

    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    August 27, 2023 | Leave a Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    How to make a chalk pastel bird nest easy drawing. Also, you’ll love this Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests.

    .A chalk pastel bird nest easy drawing project gives your child some creative freedom in recreating some of the most common types of bird nests as they learn about them.

    While they are a bit messy, they are wonderful for creating soft and hard lines as well as blurring, they are very forgiving.

    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    They can be made from natural materials like sticks, twigs, hay, grass, and leaves but they will also use scraps of string, cloth, paper, and plastic bits that humans leave out.

    There are many different types of nests but most fit into 1 of 5 categories -cupped (or half-cupped), cavity, pendant, scrape, and burrow and these are the ones we are going to explore here.

    Types of Bird Nests

    • Cup- a cup-style nest is the most seen, it is a cup-shaped build that offers eggs some protection and still allows momma bird to sit on her eggs. They are usually built on the fork of tree branches but will also be built on the ground, in bushes, and even in porches and barns. Tiniest cup nest belongs to the hummingbird at about 1”.
    • Cavity- Just as the name implies this Nest is made inside the cavity of trees, bird’s houses, and in the cavities of building structures such as chimneys. There are roughly 85 different bird species that use this method like woodpeckers, wood ducks, and owls. Some birds create their own cavity while others use already-formed openings.
    • Pendant/Suspended cup- This type of nest resembles a hanging sack. It can either have a cuplike structure or a tunnel shape with openings throughout.  Weavers, Orioles, Sunbirds, Swallows, and Martins are the most common tenants of this style.
    • Scrape/Ground- Killdeer, Ostrich, and the arctic Tern as well as a few other birds find that making their nest by using or making hollow depressions in the ground.  They use little or no nesting materials, commonly it would be down feathers, grass, and weeds.
    • Burrow- Some birds use a burrow for a nest like the puffin, kingfishers, kiwi, and the burrowing owl. They prefer it for maintaining an even temperature as well as protection from predators and weather. They often use a hole that was dug and abandoned by other animal species.
    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    No Nest –Emperor and King penguins do not make nests at all, rather they hold the egg on top of their feet.

    Next, look at these fun resources and books for learning about birds.

    17 Books, Resources, and Activities About Birds

    You'll love these fun resources if you're studying about birds. Besides, you can study about birds anytime of the year.

    So, add one or two of these to your unit study, nature journaling, or just fun for the day.

    1. A Place for Birds

    In simple yet compelling language, Melissa Stewart showcases twelve North American birds, from the familiar eastern bluebird to the rare Kirtland's warbler. Her clear narrative shows the threats these birds face, and informative sidebars describe a wide variety of efforts to save them. In addition, remarkable full-color illustrations vividly and accurately depict the birds within the ecosystems that support their survival. Range maps and additional bird facts are also included.

    2. Feathers: Not Just for Flying

    Young naturalists explore sixteen birds in this elegant introduction to the many, remarkable uses of feathers. A concise main text highlights how feathers are not just for flying. More curious readers are invited to dig deeper with informative sidebars that underscore how feathers of all shapes and sizes help birds with warming or cooling, protect them from the sun, help them swim, glide or even
    dig.

    3. A Nest Is Noisy (Family Treasure Nature Encylopedias)

    This gorgeous and informative look at the fascinating world of nests, from those of tiny bee hummingbirds to those of orangutans high in the rainforest canopy.

    4. Big Book of Birds (The Big Book Series)

    The book draws in children and parents alike with captivating information about and charming illustrations of hummingbirds, peacocks, flamingos, bald eagles, secretary birds, puffins, red-crowned cranes, and more. The book also invites young bird-watchers to protect birds where they live and make their gardens bird-friendly. The text is chatty, funny, and full of remarkable facts.

    5. Peterson Field Guide To Birds

    For decades, the Peterson Field Guide to Birdsof Eastern and Central North America has been a popular and trusted guide for birders of all levels, thanks to its famous system of identification and unparalleled illustrations. Following the Spring 2020 update to Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America, this guide will feature updated text and range maps, and art updated to reflect current knowledge in ornithology. 

    6. How to Feed Backyard Birds: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids

    How to Feed Backyard Birds: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids is the perfect resource for beginners who are young (and not so young) to discover the joy of attracting birds to your yard. Bird lover and expert Chris Earley wants to share his passion for our colorful singing and flying neighbors with the whole family.

    7. Wingspan Board Game - A Bird-Collection, Engine-Building Game

    Competitive, card-driven, engine-building board game.

    Challenging strategy game recommended for those ages 14 plus

    Game includes 170 unique bird cards, 26 bonus cards and 16 Automa cards, 103 food tokens and 75 egg miniatures, 5 custom wooden dice and 5 player mats, 1 birdfeeder dice tower and 2-piece Game Trayz custom tray, 1 goal mat and 8 goal tiles, 1 first-player token and 40 action cubes, 4 clear plastic resource containers, 1 scorepad, and 3 rulebooks.

    8. Beaks!

    Young naturalists explore a variety of birds, their habitats, and how their beaks help them build, eat, and survive. From the twisted beak of a crossbill to the color changing bill of a seagull, readers will learn fun facts about how beaks are designed and used as tools by birds of all shapes and sizes.  Bright, bold cut-paper illustrations create amazingly realistic tableaus of birds in their natural
    environments with their beaks in action.

    9. Bird Figurine Toy Birds for Kids Realistic Bird

    Set of bird figurine toys, which contains 7 different small plastic birds. The weight of bird figure toy is 96G / 0.2LB. The set of small plastic bird contains 7 pecies of toy birds,such as robin, bluebird, oriole, woodpecker, etc. Please refer to the picture for the actual size and color.

    10. Professor Noggin's Birds of North America Trivia Card Game

    PLAY & LEARN: Professor Noggin’s series of educational card games encourages kids to learn interesting facts about their favorite subjects.

    FUN FACTS: Everything young birders need to know about the most common and interesting Birds of North America. Learn to identify different species and discover fascinating facts about their habitat and behavior.

    CARD GAME: Each of the thirty game cards combines trivia, true or false, and multiple-choice questions. A special three-numbered die is included which adds an element of unpredictability.

    11. Audubon's Birds of America Coloring Book

    Including the red-winged blackbird, painted bunting, wood duck, great blue heron, ruby-throated hummingbird, purple finch, and blue jay, 46 different species of birds from all parts of the United States are included in this book. The pictures have been faithfully redrawn by Paul E. Kennedy from originals by John James Aububon (1785–1851), the most famous American painter-naturalist.

    12. The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon

    If there was one thing James loved to do more than anything else, it was to be in the great outdoors watching his beloved feathered friends.In the fall of 1804, he was determined to find out if the birds nesting near his Pennsylvania home would really return the following spring. Through careful observation, James laid the foundation for all that we know about migration patterns today.

    13. Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways To Turn Your Yard and Garden Into a Haven For Your Favorite Birds

    Enjoy your home and garden as never before when you have a yard that's filled with colorful birds and bird songs as well as flowers. This A-to-Z guide includes:Terrific tips and plans for building bird feeders, birdbaths, and birdhouses.Recipes for making bird food that is sure to be a hit with your feathered friends--including Chickadee Doughnut Delights and Easy Bird Treat Mini-Muffins.The 25 best plants to grow to attract birds to your yard--including columbine and honeysuckle, hummingbird favorites.How to identify and attract goldfinches, chickadees, cardinals, and more than 50 other favorite birds to your yard. Plus, you'll learn what their songs and antics really mean.

    14. Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds

    Describes all species found in the North American region and offers information on breeding cycles, nesting habits, and provides pictures of nestlings and eggs

    15. What's That Bird? Teacher Guide

    This study guide accompanies What's That Bird? published by Storey Publishing in 2005, incorporating facts to know, comprehension questions, and characteristics of specific birds. Sections include: 'Meet the Bird', 'How Birds Live', and 'The Wider World of Birds'. Student Book and What's That Bird? sold separately.

    16. Paint by Sticker: Birds: Create 12 Stunning Images One Sticker at a Time!

    Nature's Masterpieces—ready for paintingPeel the sticker,Paint the sticker, And watch your painting come to life.Paint by Sticker: Birds celebrates the rainbow of colors and shapes of the avian world: a red-headed woodpecker, a blue jay, an orange and black Baltimore oriole, an electric bright hummingbird.

    17. Sibley Backyard Birding Flashcards

    The Sibley Field Guide to Birds is now transformed into 100 easy-to-reference cards housed in one handsome pull-drawer gift box. Divided into one stack of 50 common Western and Eastern North American birds, and one stack of 50 common birds found across North America, each card features precise illustrations and text concerning habitat, behavior, and voice description necessary for easy identification. Edited with the backyard birder in mind, each bird card is accompanied with a regional map as an additional guide to migratory patterns.

    Next, look at some other activities I have here for you to include a study of birds.

    More Activities to Learn About Birds

    • Galapagos Islands Animals Fun and Simple Watercolor Flamingo Tutorial
    • Free Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas
    • Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet
    • Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play
    • How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock
    • Free Bird Journal – Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)
    • Bird Nest Designs – How Do Birds Make Nests Is a simple look at the different ways birds make their nests.
    • Cardinal Birds in Winter and Birch Trees Easy Watercolor Kids Activity
    • Free North American Robin Bird Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
    • Bird Craft For Kindergarten Make an Adorable Fun American Robin Foot Print
    • 15 Most Amazing Nests Built By Bird Architects YouTube
    • Beautiful Bald Eagle Fun Facts And Torn Paper Bird Craft
    • Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests
    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing
    • Dynamic Delightful Bird Lapbook for Multiple Ages

      Dynamic Delightful Bird Lapbook for Multiple Ages

      $4.00
      Add to cart

    Finally, look how to make this fun chalk pastel bird nest easy drawing.

    Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    You will need:

    • Chalk pastels
    • Art paper
    • Scissors
    • Cotton balls or pompoms
    • Book for reference
    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    I started with 9×12 paper and cut it into 4 rectangles.

    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    After researching and deciding on the types of nests they want to draw, have them lightly sketch out the outlines.

    For a cup nest-an oval with a small oval in it gives a good start, it kind of resembles a fried egg.

    Once they are satisfied with their general outline, they can begin filling it in a bit starting with lighter colors.

    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    Continue to layer on dots, lines, and slashes to create the look of a woven nest.

    Experiment with going back and forth on lighter and dark colors to create some depth and interest.

    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    Use a fingertip or pompom to smudge some of the chalk and fill in the white spots.

    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    Blow off the excess chalk as you go.

    Finally, they can add in some eggs if they like.

    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    Encourage them to draw all the basic nest types like a cavity in a tree.

    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    Or a tiny hummingbird’s nest with a bird peeking out.

    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    How about a pendant nest?

    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    To preserve your drawing spray with a light coat of aerosol hairspray to set the chalk.

    How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: birds, crafts, earth science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, science

    Free Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas

    June 9, 2023 | 1 Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    I have a free Peregrine Falcon lapbook. Too, look at my Peregrine Falcons Unit Study and my lapbook ideas,

    The Peregrine Falcon was almost extinct in the 1960s.

    The Peregrine Falcon is an endangered species but can dwell in cities.

    Additionally, the falcon is a common bird of prey which also includes eagles and hawks.

    Free Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas

    A bird of prey is a hunting bird.

    And the Peregrine Falcon is the most common falcon.

    However, there are more species of falcons.

    There are the:

    • American Krestel
    • Merlin
    • Prairie Falcon
    • Collared Forest Falcon

    Too, look at some of these facts about falcons.

    More Peregrine Falcons Facts

    • The adults have blue-gray wings with dark brown backs.
    • And they are 16 to 19 inches long,
    • Their name comes from the Latin word peregrinus, which means “one from abroad” or “to wander.”
    • Females are slightly larger than the males.
    • Beaks are slate blue.
    • Flight speed can be more than 60 mph.
    • They have long pointed wings.
    • Juveniles are marked with vertical streaks instead of horizontal bars on the breast.
    • When falcons catch birds in a fast dive in the air it’s called a stoop.
    • Besides dwelling in cities, they can nest and perch on cliffs and other tall structures.
    Free Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas

    Next, add some of these vocabulary words to your unit study.

    Vocabulary Words – Peregrine Falcon

    • endangered species – an animal or plant at risk of becoming extinct
    • raptor – a bird of prey; a bird that obtains food through the use of force
    • prey – an animal hunted by another for food
    • talon – the claw of a bird of prey
    • scientific name – Falco peregrinus
    • eyrie (pronounced I Ree) – the nest of a bird of prey usually on a high cliff or other tower
    • ornithologist – a biologist who studies birds
    • tiercel – the name for the male
    • clutch – set of eggs
    • Anatum – Latin for “eater or killer of ducks”. The common name in North America for the Peregrine Falcon used to be Duck Hawk.
    • ecosystem – all living and nonliving things in an area that interacts
    • raptor – From a Latin origin meaning “to grasp or seize”.
    • falconry – An ancient sport of using a trained raptor to hunt.
    • thermal – An ascending current of air caused by heat.

    Also, look at some of the history of falconry.

    Free Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas

    History of Falconry

    The use of falcons for hunting was developed around 2,000 B.C. in central Asia.

    And by the twelfth century A.D., falconry was widely practiced throughout Europe.

    Pictorial records and wall hangings show falconers with birds on their wrists in Arabia and Persia.

    Falconry is an art.

    It requires long hours, constant devotion, finesse, subtlety and skill. The falconer must train a bird of prey to fly free, hunt for a human being and then accept a return to captivity.

    Free Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas

    More Bird Resources and Activities

    Also, study birds with these other activities and resources.

    • Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet
    • How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock
    • Free Bird Journal – Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)
    • North American Robin Bird Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
    • Bird Craft For Kindergarten Make an Adorable Fun American Robin Foot Print
    • Bald Eagle Fun Facts And Torn Paper Bird Craft
    • Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests
    • Cardinal Birds in Winter and Birch Trees Easy Watercolor Kids Activity
    • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
    • How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft
    • How to Make a Kid’s Fun and Easy Bird Nest Activity
    • How to Make an Easy Jumbo Stick Bird Feeder with Kids
    • Hands-On Nature Study: Bird Color Bar Graphing Activity
    • Hands-On Nature Study: Make a Fun Bird Nesting Bag
    • Colorful Winter Bird: Northern Cardinal Lapbook & Unit Study
    • Winter Nature Craft: How to Make Easy DIY Bird Feeders

    And you’ll love these books.

    Bird Of Prey and Peregrine Falcon Resources

    Add these books and resources to your unit study about bird of prey or peregrine falcons.

    My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

    Great book for any boy or girl who wants to live outdoor and experience nature.

    The Hawk of the Castle: A Story of Medieval Falconry

    Join a young girl and her father, the falconer at a medieval castle, as they experience the joys of taking a goshawk out for a training flight

    Peregrine Spring: A Master Falconer's Extraordinary Life with Birds of Prey

    Peregrine Spring, Nancy Cowan’s memoir of her thirty years living intimately with raptors, gives us a new perspective on the relationship between humans and the natural world. Cowan shares her experiences running a world-famous falconry school, and the lessons she's learned from her birds.

    Call of the Osprey (Scientists in the Field)

    This meticulously researched and photographed account follows three University of Montana scientists and their interdisciplinary work with osprey: fish-catching birds with gigantic nests and a family that functions with teamwork and cooperation.

    Talons: North American Birds of Prey (Pocket Nature Guides)

    Talons: North American Birds of Prey by M. Miller & C. Nelson, present color illustrations along with names, size, range, & description of these predators.

    Thunder Birds: Nature’s Flying Predators

    Acclaimed naturalist and illustrator Jim Arnosky helps birds and imaginations take glorious flight in this breathtaking nonfiction picture book with six giant gatefolds.Arnosky will draw out kids'
    inner explorer as he explains why there are no feathers on a vulture's head, which bird is the deep-diving champ, what makes an owls's wings perfectly silent in flight, and much more.

    100 Facts Birds of Prey

    Great book for beginners.

    More Best Homeschool Unit Studies

    • Fun Kids Dandelion Flower Unit Study and Easy Tea Recipe & Notebooking Pages
    • France Unit Study and Make Easy French Bread
    • Free Greek Mythology Unit Study and Greece Lapbook & Fun Hands on LEGO Zeus
    • How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
    • Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet
    • How to Incorporate Subjects into a Fun Homeschool Cooking Unit Study
    • Volcano Unit Study and Fun Apple Volcano
    • Solar System Unit Study and Hands-on Planets Activity
    • Charlotte’s Web Homeschool Unit Study and Fun Hands-on Ideas
    • Homeschool Unit Study Ideas | Lewis and Clark Exploration Lapbook
    • Mushroom Unit Study and Kids Learning Activities
    • Little House on The Prairie Unit Study and Fun Punched Tin Lantern

    Peregrine Falcons Free Minibooks

    Moreover, here are the minibooks included in the download. I find that they are jumping off points for subtopics I covered in the unit study.

    • 2 Birds of Prey Cover pages for the outside of the lapbook
    • Hawks and Falcons Birds of Prey
    • Did You Know . .
    • Anatomy of Peregrine Falcon
    • Falconry – An Ancient Sport
    • Mating and Nesting
    • Prey of Falcon
    • Types of Falcon
    • Natures Finest Flying Machine
    • Vocabulary Words Pocket/Illustration
    • Where Do Falcons Live

    How to Get the Free Peregrine Falcon 20 Page Lapbook

    Now, how to grab the free lapbook. This is a subscriber freebie.

     1) Sign up on my list.
    2) Grab the freebie instantly.
    3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

    1 CommentFiled Under: Lapbooks Tagged With: birds, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, lapbook, lapbooking, lapbookresources, lapbooks, life science, peregrine falcon

    Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

    April 24, 2023 | Leave a Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    This activity for preschoolers about Make Way For Ducklings is fun to do for a spring theme. Also, you’ll love my Free Bird Unit Study.

    Are you looking for an easy but engaging spring lesson to enjoy with your preschooler?

    This is a fun way to work on learning without sitting down and “doing school”.

    And you can read aloud while your child’s hands are busy.

    Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

    Grab a copy of Make Way for Ducklings and check out the sweet duck pond activity I have for you.

    Make Way For Ducklings is a classic storybook that still holds up today even though it was written over 80 years ago.

    It is a fun and simple story about two mallard ducks searching for the perfect place to raise their babies and their adventures once their 8 precious babies are hatched. 

    To go along with it I have a 2-ingredient playdough recipe that is so fluffy and smooth to the touch.

    It is a fun and unique sensory experience for small hands to mold, flatten, shape, and squeeze,

    Add a few pond-themed items and some other little trinkets to it while you read from the story, and you have a wonderful activity for preschoolers up to lower elementary aged children.

    Facts About Ducks

    But first, here are some facts about ducks that either your preschoolers or older child may enjoy.

    • It takes about 28 days for duck eggs to hatch.
    • In the wild ducks will usually eat fish eggs, aquatic plants, small fish, worms, and insects.
    • Ducklings can fly within 5-8 weeks of hatching.
    • Did you know that ducks have 3 eyelids and can see in color?
    • There are over 100 types of ducks and all of them have waterproof feathers.
    • You can find ducks all over where there are small bodies of water-wetlands, marshes, ponds, rivers, lakes, and oceans. 
    • To protect themselves ducks can close one eye and put half their brain to sleep while the other half keeps watch. 
    • Waterfowl is the term used to describe the group of birds which includes ducks, geese, and swans.
    • Also, some ducks eat aquatic plants, seeds from grasses and other plants, snails and other insects and invertebrates.
    • Bread doesn’t have good nutritional value for ducks. It can cause health issues if they eat too much.
    • A male duck is called a drake.
    • A female duck is called a hen.

    Then add some hands-on activities.

    More Duck Hands-on Activities and Resources

    • Head on over and check out this Make Way For Ducklings Unit Study and Lapbook to extend the lessons even further.
    • You may like the style of a Make Way For Ducklings FIAR Study.
    • Head out to a local pond if you have one and see if you can spot some ducks, take a long a little food if it’s allowed in your area to toss for them. Here is also a recipe for a lovely DIY Duck Food that is duck-safe and nutritious for them.
    • Make a paper plate duck, it becomes a great puppet for play.
    • Build LEGO ducks with just a few basic LEGO bricks.
    • Counting Ducks is a solid early math activity for toddlers.
    • How cute are these Rice Cake Duck snacks?
    • This big lot of rubber ducks would make fantastic counters for a math activity.
    • Make a pond-themed slime in addition to the playdough for an alternative sensory experience.
    Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

    Too, add more bird unit study resources.

    More Bird Craft Ideas and Resources

    Also, here are some more fun bird crafts and activities.

    • How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock
    • Free Bird Journal – Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)
    • Free North American Robin Bird Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
    • Bird Craft For Kindergarten Make an Adorable Fun American Robin Foot Print
    • Beautiful Bald Eagle Fun Facts And Torn Paper Bird Craft
    • Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests
    • Cardinal Birds in Winter and Birch Trees Easy Watercolor Kids Activity
    • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
    • How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft
    • How to Make a Kid’s Fun and Easy Bird Nest Activity
    • How to Make an Easy Jumbo Stick Bird Feeder with Kids
    • Hands-On Nature Study: Bird Color Bar Graphing Activity
    • Hands-On Nature Study: Make a Fun Bird Nesting Bag
    • Colorful Winter Bird: Northern Cardinal Lapbook & Unit Study
    • Winter Nature Craft: How to Make Easy DIY Bird Feeders

    Make Way for Ducklings 2 Ingredient Playdough Invitation to Play

    You will need:

    • ½ cup hair conditioner
    • 1 cup cornstarch
    • Blue food coloring
    • Essential oil-optional
    Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

    Other fun things to add:

    • Pond themed toys
    • Sticks and pebbles
    • Duck-shaped cookie cutter
    • Letter beads or tiles
    • Small blue glass beads

    In a medium-sized bowl stir together hair conditioner and cornstarch.

    You will need to get in it with your hands after the initial mixing to make sure everything is combined well.

    The texture should be like a very soft marshmallow, if it’s too crumbly add more conditioner, if it’s too wet add a bit more cornstarch.

    Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

    Once the texture is good, mix in blue food coloring to get to the color you want.

    Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

    If you have a light or unscented conditioner you might want to add a few drops of essential oil to give it a calming scent, lavender is perfect for this making it a relaxing activity.

    Remove from the bowl and knead for a few minutes to work food coloring through and improve texture further, I highly recommend gloves at this point.

    Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

    To create a duck pond invitation to play, gather pond-themed toys such as these cute little ducks and fun things right from the yard like pebbles and small sticks.

    Put them in a small, divided container such as a muffin tin and set them out with your 2 ingredient playdough for a fun sensory and imaginative playtime.

    Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

    Your child can recreate the story, make up a new one, or just enjoy the simple playtime with this soft dough and add-ons.

    Depending on the age of your child you can also add letter beads or tiles to practice beginning letters for things like duck, pond, hatch, egg, etc. or to spell out the words for older children.

    Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: birds, ducks, elementary science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, life science, science

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