Teacher Preparation

Overarching learning goal: By participating in this activity students understand that many animals need a safe place to drink water. Students will also recognise that people can help our native animals.

Teacher content information: A bird bath needs to be shallow so birds can stand in it. It needs clean water and to be kept full. Birds must be safe from other birds and dangers such as cats. A bird bath next to dense prickly bushes allows small birds to quickly escape. Birds like to have perches close by where they can ruffle their feathers after their bath.

A bird bath must also be safe for children. While it is preferable for the birds to have the bath on a stand, it may not be the safest for students. Any shallow bowl will do. It may be preferable to place the bowl on a stump. A staff member or parent could make a frame against a classroom window in which the bowl sits and can’t fall out and hurt a child. If there is no alternative, place the bowl on the ground.

Once a bird bath is installed it can be used on that day. Provided there is always clean water in the bird bath, once the birds start using it, they will become daily visitors.

Student and classroom organisation

Step 1.

Begin by asking students what they know about bird baths.

Go through the criteria about what is required for placing a bird bath at school. As each criterion is highlighted, ask students the consequences of what could happen if they did something different.

Bird bath must be shallow.
Bird bath needs to be kept full of clean water.
Birds need to be able to escape and hide if there is danger
Birds want to sit on branches close to the bath so they can look for danger and after the bath shake off the water
The bird bath must be safe for children and if they bump into it, it can’t fall over.

Plus it would be nice if students could see the bird bath from their classroom.

Step 2.

Look at a range of locations where the bird bath could go. Use the criteria to choose the best location.

The teacher will probably need to decide what bowl will be used for the bird bath and how it will be placed, e.g. on a stump, in a frame, on the ground, etc.

Discuss with students how the bird bath can be filled with water. In most cases students will need to fill a container from a tap and transport it to the bird bath. With students, find out ways to answer the following questions and, where appropriate, using informal units:

How much water does the bird bath hold?
Where is the closest tap that students can use?
How far will students need to walk?
What container will the students use to carry the water?
How much weight can a student safely carry?
How many containers of water are needed to fill the bird bath?
How long will it take to fill the bird bath?
How will a roster be designed to make sure the birdbath stays full?
Where will the roster be kept?
When will students fill the bird bath?

An adult should be the responsible person for cleaning the bird bath.

Keep notes about what birds visit the bath and when they prefer to visit.

Extension

Students can fill out the Student Worksheet independently or in pairs.

Take it further

Once the students have established a bird bath, consider getting your students to set one up a bird bath at a local aged care home.

Your students could visit the aged care home and present and install the bird bath. Students could explain how to look after the bird bath and what types of birds the residents might expect. They could leave the residents with some of their artwork about local biodiversity on their premises.

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