Our names are Julia Gero and Elizabeth Herman; we are students at the State University of New York (SUNY) Fredonia. Julia is a Childhood Education major with a concentration in English. Elizabeth is a Childhood Inclusive Education Major with a Social Science Concentration. The topic that we chose to focus on is the black-chinned hummingbird nesting in response to forest treatments.
The Natural Inquirer article on black-chinned hummingbirds nesting in response to forest treatments is found in the Investi-gator issue Animals and Ecosystems of the Southwestern United States (Rocky Mountain Research Station). In the article “That’s a Humdinger!” scientists set up an experiment to see how black-chinned hummingbird nesting habits were formed due to forest management that would often take place in the black-chinned hummingbirds habitat. This experiment took place as a way for forest managers to see how they could decrease the likelihood of forest fires and minimize invasive species while still creating a safe habitat for the hummingbirds.
To introduce this material into the classroom, the teacher could start by introducing the topic and providing appropriate background information. Students should have a physical copy of the article so they can go back and reread if need be. The article provides visuals that will be helpful. When the teacher and students go over this article, the teacher should have certain stopping points to check for understanding and provide further clarification. Students will reflect throughout the article on the prompted questions provided. The end of the article (page 22) provides a “FACTivity” that engages what the students learned and shows them how to apply it in an everyday scenario. The activity involves observing and learning how to identify birds. They will be given a chart that they can use to do this. They will record characteristics of the bird they observed.
The GLOBE activity that we focused on was “Honing in on Hummingbirds,” found within the Elementary GLOBE Seasons module. This module entails more observation of hummingbirds along with thought provoking questions that get students thinking.
The GLOBE resources provide the teacher with activities to engage students as well as providing appropriate scaffolding by tying in prior knowledge. The GLOBE resources also give teachers a guide on how to direct the lesson. There are other activities in the Seasons module that will further students’ academic development.
Both the GLOBE resource and the Natural Inquirer article talk about hummingbirds; one is about how to keep their habitat safe and the other talks about their migration patterns. Allowing the students to be able to observe the hummingbird in both scenarios allows for understanding of the hummingbird and its different environments in a more detailed way. Each resource provides clear and detailed information about hummingbirds in general, the black-chinned hummingbird specifically, and the environments they live in.
From the Elementary GLOBE Teacher Implementation Guide
LS1.A Structure and Function
My name is Julia Gero and I am a Childhood Education major with a concentration in English at the State University of Fredonia. I think that the science aspect of a classroom can be beneficial to students. Science can be very hands-on; this gets students actively engaged with the material. Before I was a childhood education major, I was a biology major. I did a lot of labs and was able to be involved with whatever material we were studying. This is one of my favorite things about science. It can be accessible to everyone. The topic that my partner and I chose to focus on is the black-chinned hummingbird nesting in response to forest treatments. I liked this topic because hummingbirds was a bird that I was already familiar with. I also would like to learn more about their nesting habits and expand my knowledge further on the black-chinned hummingbird.
My name is Elizabeth Herman and I am a Childhood Inclusive Education Major with a Social Science Concentration. Social Science may not be like physical science, but I learn about the mind and how it works, as well as society as a whole. As someone who wants to work with students with disabilities, understanding the mind and how it works is very important when understanding how the student is working and expressing themselves. Also understanding how they are treated and how they treat others is also very important to everyone's mental well-being when in their studies or even just being an advocate for the students with disabilities. The topic Julia and I chose was the black-chinned hummingbird nesting in response to forest treatment. I wanted to know more about hummingbirds since I really like learning about animals and the black-chinned hummingbirds seemed very interesting.
Acknowledgement: This material is based upon work supported by USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Agreement no. 20-PA-11090100-026). Any opinion, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USDA Forest Service.
This blog post is part of the GLOBE and the Natural Inquirer Crosswalk Project. Other blog posts are available on the U.S. GLOBE Teacher Resources page.
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