Up, Up And Away!

During the past two weeks, we have been learning more about birds in the Foundation Phase. We did many hand-on activities to learn more about the fascinating creatures. We made art pieces about penguins, peacocks, flamingos and owls. During Numeracy we counted feathers and eggs and during Literacy we wrote our sounds in bird seed. We threaded beads on feathers, we cut paper feathers and we even made playdough eggs to strengthen our fine motor muscles.

The students enjoyed looking at books and video clips with interesting facts about birds.

We learned the following facts about birds:

·         There are 10000 species of birds.

·         All birds lay eggs.

·         Birds migrate to other countries.

·         All birds have feathers.

·         Birds don’t have teeth.

·         Birds are great communicators.

·         A group of birds is called a flock.

·         Some birds can mimic humans.

·         Ostriches are the largest birds.

·         The smallest bird is a Bee Hummingbird.

I have read a lovely article about birds this weekend and I would like to share this with you. “Here are six life lessons, inspired by our winged friends.

1. Be confident. Birds learn to trust themselves before they take off in the sky. So have faith in your abilities and know that you will find a warm current to soar in.

2. Let your colours shine. Different birds have hundreds of different hues. Be bright and make sure you aren’t hiding what makes you one-of-a-kind.

3. Show up early and often. The legendary early bird gets the worm for a reason. So find something worth showing up for, and then show up every day.

4. Go with the seasons. Birds thrive despite changes in their environment. Be fluid and go with the flow, trusting your ability to always find a branch to land on.

5. Flock together. Birds seek strength and sustenance from one another. Keep friends and family close by as you navigate the days

6. Spread your wings. Eventually, all birds must leave the safety of the nest and become what they are meant to be. Have no fear of falling, and start flapping.”

The students learned that birds are very important. Many people (including myself) keep birds as pets and enjoy watching them in the wild or at the exotic animal world. Farmers raise poultry for their meat and eggs and we also use bird feathers in various product.

Martie van Dyk

Pre-Reception Teacher