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    Birding

    with Apalachee Audubon Society

    2008--2009

    This year, ESOL used Title 3 funds to purchase a bird feeding station from Wildbirds Unlimited. We hope to attract birds to it and teach students about backyard birding. We also purchased bird guides, coloring books, logs and binoculars.

    On Wednesday, October 1, 2008, Dawn Saucier and Fred Dietrich, members of AAS, came out to Pineview to help us set up the birdfeeding station. We set it up outside of Karen Kimel's classroom window since she is also our 5th grade science teacher. We hope the birds will soon flock to the station!
     

    On Thursday, October 23, 2008 (10--11 am) Education Coordinator for AAS, Dawn Saucier, came to Pineview to present about how to identify birds. Students compared pairs of birds. They also got to hear different bird calls/songs. Students asked interested questions. Afterwards, we went outside to catch glimpses of birds up in the oak trees by the cafeteria.

     

    On Friday morning (around 10 am), November 21, 2008, ESOL students, 14 university participants and 6 parents walked to Lake Elberta Park, down the street from Pineview (next to Church's Fried Chicken), to view migratory birds. We saw woodstorks, egrets, a great blue heron, ruddy ducks, cormorants and an osprey eating a fish on top of a tree. The weather was cold, sunny and windy. Students used their junior-sized yellow-colored binoculars to view birds while Audubon educators (Dawn Saucier, Fred Dietrich, Ann Bruce) guided the students. Dr Platt provided a telescope and each student had an opportunity to look through it. Many thanks to Apalachee Audubon, university participants and parents for helping out with this field trip!

     

    		  
       

    On Wednesday, April 22, 2009 (Earth Day), ESOL students, Ms Hirst's 1st grade class and Ms Holland's 3rd grade class went on a field trip to Bear Creek Educational Forest. This was our culminating activity of our year-long unit of study about birds. Earlier in the semester, students had also learned about John James Audubon's work in art class. Their artwork were displayed in the public library for Youth Art Month. On this trip, students hiked trails and participated in a scavenger hunt. Many thanks to Forest Ranger Duff Maki, Ranger Charlie and Ranger Ivey for conducting the activities. Also, thanks to AAS member Fred Dietrich who also came along to chaperone and teach the students.  A big thank-you also goes out to university participants (Courtney Love, Brad Busboom, Jordan Stowers, Colleen Maley) and our parents (Mr Zhang, Ms Baez, Ms Zamudio, Ms Salazar, Ms Gonzalez, Ms Vargas, Ms Gomez, Mr Walker, Ms Ross, Ms Smith, Ms Mills, Ms Frazier) for chaperoning and helping out with the trip. Finally, many thanks to Ms Spillane, our art teacher, for doing this joint project about birds with ESOL.