One experiment that I must share with you that the kids really enjoyed required them to use different tools to represent their "beak". They were able to choose between a spoon, scissors, tweezers, and a binder clip. They had to use this "beak" to "eat" their food and place it in their cup, which represented their bellies. Their food consisted of a paper clip, a rubber band, a pipe cleaner, and a Cheerio. They were given 20 seconds to see how much they could "eat." Students recorded their data in their notebooks and compared their data to their group member's. They truly enjoyed trying to beat their own records. We then discussed how these adaptations impact the birds they are similar to and why it is/isn't hard for them to survive in certain habitats.
Students willl take their knowledge from this experiment and others to put together their Blendspace. I can't wait to see how they present their research of hibernating vs. migrating.
Side note-if you haven't ever tried Blendspace, it is well worth the exploring time. Being able to log in, create, and share with their google log in is well worth the time to explore!! :)
