How do you connect learners of all ages with birds that they only see high up in trees, or flying far overhead? One way is letting learners measure their own armspread against a migratory bird's wingspan. To do this, you can download a free pattern for a 14-foot wide wingspan banner, created by Georgia's Department of Natural Resources.
The banner, in PDF or EPS format, reproduces life-size silhouettes of 20 species, ranging from the 12-foot Wandering Albatross to the 2.6-inch Bee Hummingbird. You can use the banner at school, at home, or in the community for International Migratory Bird Day—which can be celebrated any day of the year (since bird migrations vary by region)! The 2015 theme for this event is the importance of habitat to birds. Whatever day you choose, wherever you are, you can celebrate the migration of nearly 350 species of birds that travel between their nesting habitats in North America and their non-breeding grounds in Latin America, Mexico and the Caribbean.
In the Howtosmile.org What Birds Do activity, learners brainstorm possible bird behaviors including migration, then head outside to bird watch. Learners identify and record species and behaviors for later discussion. In the activity For the Birds: Environmental Effects on Population, learners investigate what makes shorebirds and seabirds extremely vulnerable to changes in their environment, whether human-induced or otherwise.