Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Project Based Learning - Birds Edition

 
I am a huge fan of project based learning and try to use it when we can in our days as much as possible. This year for science the girls have used the Jeannie Fulbright book about flying creatures. I knew that once the weather became warmer and just better all the way around it would be time for a project. I will go into this project further in a future post once the bird sanctuary is completed.
 
Today was beautiful and was just shouting at us to get outside. When I looked out the window I saw a flock of gold finches, which happen to be my very favorite bird, about 16 in total. Also sighted were cardinals, indigo buntings, black capped chickadees, and purple finches. We all went out and set on the porch steps to get a better look.

 
After about 15 minutes of watching the birds come and go the girls decided they wanted to sketch the birds and then paint them with watercolors into their nature journals. We had other subjects that needed to be tended to, but when creativity and learning are working on their own I love just letting it work its magic. When kids get excited about something and come up with ideas of what to do - that is what true education should be about.

 
Warm sun on our faces and the wind blowing a pleasant breeze. You just can't get any better than that.
 
After about 30 minutes of watching, sketching, and looking through the field guides we headed inside to do some water coloring. It was a good day.



1 comment:

Karen said...

This is awesome Diane. Every time I see the things you are doing with the girls I wish so badly that Keilee was this age again. :)