100 Days of Science #52- Learning About Birds in Winter

We've studied birds a few times in our homeschool.  Typically we wouldn't be learning about birds in winter but I thought that was actually what made this such a perfect little mini unit.  Even though we live in New England there are still birds that around in winter and I thought it might interest the boys to learn about them.

We read a few picture books about birds.  Here are some suggestions for you:

1.  Welcome, Brown Bird

2.  Backyard Birds of Winter

3.  Birds in Winter 

4.  Counting Birds: The Idea That Helped Save Our Feathered Friends

 

5.  How Do Birds Find Their Way?

6.  The Peregrine's Journey: A Story of Migration

Once we were finished reading our books we made bird feeders.  We've made a few birdseed crafts in the past and this time settled on making little cups out of orange peels.  

First we cut an orange in half and then scraped out the pulp. 

We poked 4 holes of equal distant in the rind and threaded string through them.

Then we tied the strings together and filled our cups with bird seed.

We brought them outside and hung them on our tree.

Other bird feeder suggestions:

Coat an empty toilet paper roll in honey or peanut butter and roll in seeds then thread string or pipe cleaners through and hang it in a tree. 

A birdseed wreath

Birdseed ornaments

Others in this series:

1. Bernoulli's Principle
2. Ecotarium Trip 
3. Air Molecule Experiment
4. Kitchen Science
5. Corn Maze Field Trip 
6. Birds of Florida 
7. Making Static Music
8. Un-Make It Monday
9. Wind Tunnel Experiment
10. Biomes Field Trip
11. Disappearing Coin Trip
12. Snuffing out a Candle With Baking Soda
13. Making Plastic from Milk
14. Friction Experiment 
15. & 16. Snow Experiments
17. Making an Iceberg
18. Floating Eggs
19. Pond Water Under a Microscope 
20. Planting Eco Plant Pals
21. & 22. Cotton Candy Experiments
23. Springfield Science Museum Trip
24. Signs of Spring
25. Color Changing Slime
26. Growing Our Own Tickle Plants
27. Learning About Soil Sampling
28. Making Bouncy Balls
29. Exploring the Shoreline
30. Color Changing Flowers
31. Roger Williams Zoo Trip
32. Edible Silly Putty 
33. Raising Tadpoles
34. More Microscope Fun 
35.  Homemade Ice Cream
36. How Plants Breathe Experiment 
37. Save The Bay Exploration Center Trip
38. Making Fresh Peach Preserves 
39. Making Solar S'mores
40. Growing a Crystal Garden
41. & 42. Making Jolly Rancher Candy Apples & Lollipops 
43. Volcanic Lemons
44. Oozing Pumpkins
45.  Growing a Germ Farm
46. Germs Under a Microscope
47. & 48. Making Model Molecules Two Ways
49. Kitchen Chemistry
50. Fall Leaf Chromatography

51. Color Changing Iodine Experiments

53. Iodine and Starch Experiment
54. Flouride and Calcium Experiment
55. Botanical Gardens in Winter
56.  Making Cell Models
57. Which Has More Water; Ice or Snow?
58. Exploding Snow and Water Baggies
59.  Exploring Minerals
60. Visiting the Hartford Science Museum
61-63. 3 STEM Bridge Challenges
64. Making Models of the Earth
65. Plate Techtonics with Graham Crackers
66.  Homemade Lava Lamp
67.  Science Movies We're Watching
68. Index Card Towers
69.  Botany at the Botanical Gardens
70. Best Board Games for Science 
71. Homemade Frozen Yogurt Pops
72.  Starburst Rock Cycle 
73. & 74. Sinking a Marshmallow
75. Jumping Conversation Hearts 
76-78. Building a Paper Airplane 3 Ways 
79. Learning About Hummingbirds 
80.  Planting an Herb Garden 
81. Mushroom Spores 
82. - 84.  Penny Saturation Experiments 
85. Sink or Float?
86. Disappearing Ink 
87. Sedment Layer Jars
88. Tie Dye Science 
89-91. DNA Experiments 
92.  Homemade Butter 
93. Floating Marker Art 
94. & 95. Oil Spills & Water Filtration 
96.- 98. Making Rock Candy & Rock Candy Experiments 
99. Rocket Science 

100. Permaculture Garden Tour