Songbird Kit
Designed to motivate all types of learners in grades K-5, the Songbird Kit contains lesson plans and activities in science, literature, language arts, social studies, math and the arts.
Students learn about the natural history of Neotropical migratory songbirds, and the increasing problems these birds face in their two homes.
The Songbird Kit is available for loan to teachers in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. The kit fosters knowledge and appreciation of migratory songbirds and an awareness of the need to conserve and protect birds and their habitats.
Contents of the Kit
The time consuming work of gathering materials is already done for you! Packaged in a durable 2' X 3' trunk, the kit includes:
- a comprehensive curriculum guide for a 2-3 week unit of study
- student research kits containing study guides, fact sheets, team badges, and task cards for cooperative learning groups
- songbird puppets
- a felt story cloth
- an array of posters, maps, books, videos, and audio tapes
Complete inventory of the kit
Teacher's Guides:
- Songbird Blues: Exploring Migratory Songbirds of the Americas
Puppets and Felt Story Cloth:
- Male Yellow-rumped Warbler or American Redstart
- Female Yellow-rumped Warbler or American Redstart & egg
- Female Brown-headed Cowbird & egg
- Nest with 4 chicks
- Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Felt Story Cloth: My Changing Neighborhood
Student Research Kits:
- Twenty project task cards
- Fact Card, Range Map, and five Bird Badges for each of seven species (American Redstart, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Wood Thrush, Bobolink, Brown-headed Cowbird)
Audio Cassette Tapes:
- Voices of the Songbirds
- Songbird Symphony
- Fiesta! Mexico and Central America (music tape)
Posters and Maps:
- Birds of Two Worlds
- Disappearing Habitat, Disappearing Birds
- International Migratory Bird Day 1997 - 2002
- National Geographic Society- Bird Migration in the Americas
- National Geographic Society Map of Central America
- National Geographic Society Map of Mexico
- Partners in Flight/Compañeros de Vuelo (1996)
- Wildlife of New Jersey-Tropical Travelers
- Bird-friendly Coffee
Books and Magazines:
- Backyard Bird Watching for Kids
- Birds Over Troubled Forests
- Bridging the Americas: Migratory Birds in Costa Rica and Panama
- Eastern Birds: A Guide to Field Identification of North American Species
- Exploration Into Latin America
- Feathered Travelers
- Fiesta! Mexico and Central America (book)
- Fine Feathered Friends
- Flute's Journey
- For the Birds
- How Do Birds Find Their Way?
- The Hummingbird King
- The Hummingbird's Gift
- Kids Who Walk on Volcanoes
- Life Cycle of a Bird
- Ornithology
- Ranger Rick (May 1994)
- Save My Rainforest
- Sharing the Wonder of Birds with Kids
- Southern Mexico: Crossroads for Migratory Birds
Videos:
- Birding for Kids
- Everybody Loves Birds
Reference Materials for Teachers:
- Field Checklist of Maryland and D.C. Birds
- For the Birds
- List of Local Neotropical Migratory Birds
- Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center Brochure
- Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center Checklist of Neotropical Migrants
- Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center Fact Sheets
- Suggested Resources for Teachers
- Catch the Migration Sensation classroom activity packet
- A Taste of the Tropics and Exploring Habitats
Teacher comments about the kit
“Excellent kit! Very multi-dimensional. Great for cross-curricular studies. The flannel story cloth is very effective.”
“It is a wonderful kit. There is so much to choose from. We used the kit materials and worked with our Spanish teacher to study both the language and culture of Costa Rica as well as the migratory birds.”
“The teachers guide contains great ideas. I loved the extensions. The kit was well equipped for all lessons. What a joy to have all the resources in this treasure box.”
“The unit is well researched, well organized and thorough. Kudos to the developers.”
“The kit is fabulous! The puppet shows and imaginary play acting that evolved from the lessons was well worth the effort of getting the kit to my kindergarten classroom. I love the choice of stories and tapes. I will borrow it again.”
How to Borrow a Kit
Kits may be borrowed for a maximum of 4 weeks. A $25 user fee must be paid in advance, along with a $100 refundable security deposit. The kit must be picked up from and returned to the Zoo (we no longer mail kits).
To reserve a songbird kit, please complete and submit the following form. You will be contacted via email to confirm the availability of a kit for the time period you've requested.
Once dates have been confirmed, you will be asked to mail in 2 separate checks to cover the user fee and the security deposit. Please make checks payable to the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and mail to:
Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center
National Zoo
PO Box 37012
MRC 5503
Washington, DC 20013-7012
Kit Reservation Form
Standards of Learning
This program meets a variety of Standards of Learning for:
