New Pioneers was delighted to lead a wonderful group of 10 local students in "Backyard Beak" activities at the Homeschool Hangout at the Nelson County Public Library Main Branch this May!

We started this eventful afternoon with an introduction to six bird species students might see in their own backyard: Eastern Bluebirds, Northern Cardinals, American Goldfinch, American Robins, Red-Winged Blackbirds, and Chickadees! During this time, students met our bird plushies, listened to their bird calls, and then practiced mimicking each call.

Next, students put their bird call skills to the test by creating their own bird-themed bingo cards, which we later played a few rounds of "Birdo!" with. By the end of this game, students could match each call to the correct bird by using only their listening skills.

Students also had the opportunity to create their own bird feeders with pipe cleaners and Cheerios, putting their fine motor skills to work. We wrapped up the afternoon by coloring the birds we explored in our activities and having a discussion about native plants.

Thanks to this fun-filled evening, students were motivated to go home and start their birding journey through observation, listening, and planting their new pack of native pollinator-friendly wildflowers and grasses!

Thank you to the wonderful homeschool families and the NCPL for such a lovely program!

To view more photos from this program, click here or on the collage above.