Animal Migration with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

Introduction Activity

1.    As a class, brainstorm words or phrases describing your hometown. The list may include the current temperature and weather conditions, size of the city, and whether it is in a rural or urban area. Instruct the students to also think of adjectives that describe the town and its residents. Write the words and phrases where the students can see them. 

2.   Have the students think of vacation destinations. Choose one destination with which most of the students are familiar. Brainstorm words or phrases describing this destination. Write the words and phrases next to the first list.

 
Mini Lesson

1.   Migration is movement from one type of habitat to another. Write down this definition of migration for the students.
 
2.   Compare the two lists. How are they the same? How are they different? Discuss why someone might travel from your hometown to this destination. Point out that the two places can represent two different habitats. Vacationers are migrating from their hometown to the vacation destination.
 
3.    Brainstorm as a class a list of animals that migrate. Encourage the students to be as specific as possible (i.e. “Canada Geese” instead of “birds”.) If the students get stuck, give them the Migrating Animals Handout.
 
4.    As a class, go back through the list and identify the animals as insects, mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, or reptiles. Point out that migrating animals come from all the major branches of the animal kingdom.
 

Main Activity

1.    In the novel Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, Cricket’s mom saw a room full of birds. Her favorite was the scarlet tanager. Instruct students to read Mama’s description of the scarlet tanager on pages 30 – 31. Have them write what they learn about the bird on the Scarlet Tanager Fact Sheet. Instruct them to color the tanager on the fact sheet with colored pencils the way it is described in the book. 

2.    Cardinals were also an important symbol to Cricket. Instruct students to read the description of the cardinal on pages 50-51. Have them write what they learn about the bird on the Cardinal Fact Sheet. Instruct them to color the cardinal on the fact sheet with colored pencils the way it is described in the book.

3.    Instruct students to research facts about scarlet tanagers and cardinals using the links provided from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website. If individual computers are not available, research the scarlet tanager and cardinal as a class. Compare the facts from the book with the information online. Instruct students to write down three additional facts from the research on their Scarlet Tanager Fact Sheet.

4.    As a class, look at the migration map for the scarlet tanager using the link provided. Point out the breeding locations, the areas it moves through during migration, and its winter habitat in South America. Note if your state is included in any of the areas inhabited by the scarlet tanager.

5.    As a class, brainstorm ideas as to why the cardinal does not migrate. Check the accuracy of the ideas using the provided link to the Tufts Journal website. 

 
Closing Activity

Ask the class if they have seen a cardinal and where. Then ask the students if they have ever seen a scarlet tanager. Discuss why it may be difficult to see one, even if they live in one of the areas highlighted on the migration map. Discuss why a cardinal is easier to find.

 
Extensions

1.    Have each student choose a different animal from the Animals that Migrate list. Students research the animal, paying particular attention to its migration patterns. Students can then present their findings to the class. 

2.    Create a poster showing the migration pattern of a scarlet tanager. 

3.    Have students record a list of birds they see over the course of a week, once during the winter and once during the spring. They can use a bird identification guide from the library. Compare the birds on the lists. What birds are the same? What birds do not appear in the winter?

Students write a short report about what they learned about scarlet tanagers and migration.