Our main integrated theme for the year will be birds. Within the unit we hope to engage children in reading, writing, math skills, observation, discussion and performance. The unit will culminate with a class breakfast where children can share what they have learned with their parents. Some of the major questions we will talk about are:

• What makes a bird a bird?
• What are different types of birds?
• What is the life cycle of a bird?
• How do bird’s differences help them survive in different environments or with different food sources?
• How big are birds?

In the beginning of the year we go on a field trip to Fresh Pond. Each time we find more birds than any other type of animal. We will begin our unit by brainstorming what we know about birds and what we want to know. During the unit children will:

• Classify birds and create collages of their categories.
• Measure their arm spans and heights.
• Use this skill to measure the wingspan and height of birds in order to make life-sized models of birds.
• Look at feathers through the microscope.
• Draw and write about different beaks, feathers, and feet.
• Do an experiment on why bird’s beaks are different and graph the results.
• Chose a bird to research and write a report.
• Make field trips to the Franklin Park Zoo and the Peabody museum.
• Learn about the development of an egg and hopefully hatch some chicks.