Bird Feeders

We have a squirrel problem! With all the beautiful birdfeeders, the birds can simply not enjoy them because the squirrels keep stealing the food out of all the birdfeeders. The birds are hungry and need a solution! They know with your engineering skills that you have the ability to build them a squirrel-proof birdfeeder.

Problem: The squirrels are taking over the birdfeeders and the birds are hungry and need a solution to this problem. They need squirrel proof birdfeeders so that they are able to enjoy their food in peace without having to worry about squirrels taking all of their food.
 
Background Research: What do we know about birdfeeders? How are these squirrels accessing the birdfeeders? What are ways we can keep the squirrels away from the birdfeeders? Does the location of the birdfeeders have anything to do with it? From this knowledge how can we use it and apply it to help the birds?
 
Requirements: Students will be given a wide range of materials to work with to build their squirrel-proof birdfeeders. Even though they are given these options to work with, students will only be able to choose three out of the seven materials to work with. Tape and glue are not included in their three choices.  From the background research they do and collaboration with their group members, they will come up with the best approach on how to engineer a squirrel-proof bird feeder to help the birds not go hungry any longer.
 
BrainStorm Solutions: Before beginning, students will decide which three materials they will decide to work with. They will also come up with a solid plan on how they are going to build their squirrel-proof birdfeeder. Students should take the time to brainstorm more than one approach, and then together decide which will be the best approach to help the birds and be able to explain why they went with this approach.
 

1. Students will work in their groups and decide what three materials they are going to use and brainstorm ideas on the approach they are going to use to build their squirrel-proof birdfeeders.
2. Students will then develop a plan for how they are going to go about building their squirrel-proof birdfeeders. Questions to ask: Where are you going to begin? How are you going to use the three materials that you chose? How are you going to make sure that your bird feeder is sufficient? What is the big idea that you came up with to make sure that the squirrels cannot get into your bird feeder? How does the background research questions we answered earlier going to help you design your birdfeeder? Make sure the students think about the placement of the birdfeeder, width, and height, size of bird and squirrel, etc.
3. Once students have developed their plan, they will grab their materials and begin building their prototype. They should take this time to talk with their group members as they are building, and take notice of how things are going during the construction process. Students will be given 15 minutes to build their prototype.
4. When students go to test their birdfeeders, the teacher will bring in a non-squirrel proof birdfeeder or image of one, and students will compare their prototypes to it. Students will see the similarities and differences between their squirrel proof birdfeeders they created and the non-squirrel proof birdfeeder. They will also test their birdfeeders by using a pre-made cut out of a squirrel. They will see if their birdfeeder is tall enough and narrow enough for the squirrel not to access it. They will also test to see how durable their birdfeeders are by taking a pencil and poking at the top and around their feeders to make sure that the squirrel would not be able to ‘break into’ the feeder. Once students have collected and analyzed their data, the students will come up with another plan on what they will change on the birdfeeders. At this time, students are able to switch out for a different material. Questions to ask: What went wrong? Was your birdfeeder tall enough? Was it narrow enough? Was it durable? How can you make it even stronger? Did you have to switch one of your materials? If so, what didn’t work and why do you believe this new material will work better?
5. Once students have developed a new plan for their birdfeeder they will redesign their feeders! Students will be given 10 minutes to redesign their squirrel-proof birdfeeders.
6. Once the students have completed their redesigns, they will then test them and write down their results just like they did the first time. Students will take notice to all the things they changed and compare the outcomes of each of their models.
7. The teacher will ask questions: ‘What did you change this time?’ ‘What were your reasons for changing it?’ ‘Did it work?’ ‘Was there something you feel that you could have done differently?’
8. Each group will share their first birdfeeder and their reasons for constructing it the way they did. They will then share their data on what happened when they tested it. Students will explain what they changed when redesigning it and why they decided to change it. Then, students will share their redesign and communicate their findings from that.
9. While sharing their findings student will connect why they chose to build their birdfeeders the way they did to the knowledge they already know and the knowledge they learned from this lesson. They must support their decisions for constructing their birdfeeders the way that they did with evidence they have found!
10. The teacher will ask questions: ‘What is similar in each group's birdfeeder?’ ‘What is different about each group's birdfeeder?’ ‘What materials did each group decide to use, and which seemed to work better
11. A group discussion will be held about the entire lesson.
12. The teacher will ask: ‘What did you learn?’ ‘How can you use what you have learned and apply it to your daily lives?’ When thinking about how the birds are affected by the squirrels in this way, what are some other animals (like the bird) that are affected in similar ways and by what (squirrel)?’
13. The teacher will dive into a deeper conversation about these other animals and the students will discuss ways that they could solve the issues that are occurring with the knowledge they have gained from the lesson just like they did with the squirrel proof bird feeders.
14. Vocabulary introduced throughout the lesson: birdfeeder, squirrel, bird, location, habitat, construct, sufficient, durable, and redesign. All of these words were found throughout the entire lesson and were important for the students to understand when developing their squirrel-proof birdfeeders. In order to successfully complete their observations and findings, they needed to have a sense of what the words mean.
15. Students will reflect on how this connects to their every day lives. Discussions will be held on where they see birdfeeders. If they were to see a birdfeeder what would come to mind now that they have taken part in this lesson and gained all the new knowledge that they did not know once before?  How does knowing what they know now about birdfeeders and squirrels, relate to their understanding of other animals and the problems they have with other creatures?
16. A group discussion will be held about the entire lesson.
17. The teacher will ask: ‘What did you learn?’ ‘How can you use what you have learned and apply it to your daily lives?’ When thinking about how the birds are affected by the squirrels in this way, what are some other animals (like the bird) that are affected in similar ways and by what (squirrel)?’
18. The teacher will dive into a deeper conversation about these other animals and the students will discuss ways that they could solve the issues that are occurring with the knowledge they have gained from the lesson just like they did with the squirrel proof birdfeeders.
19. Vocabulary introduced throughout the lesson: birdfeeder, squirrel, bird, location, habitat, construct, sufficient, durable, and redesign. All of these words were found throughout the entire lesson and were important for the students to understand when developing their squirrel-proof birdfeeders. In order to successfully complete their observations and findings they needed to have a sense of what the words mean.
20. Students will reflect on how this connects to their every day lives. Discussions will be held on where they see birdfeeders. If they were to see a birdfeeder what would come to mind now that they have taken part in this lesson and gained all the new knowledge that they did not know once before?  How does knowing what they know now about birdfeeders and squirrels, relate to their understanding of other animals and the problems they have with other creatures?

I will formally assess the students throughout the entire lesson. If students are applying the knowledge they have learned when creating their birdfeeders’, I know that they understand what is expected of them from this lesson. If the students are just building a birdfeeder, without using any knowledge to back up their plans in building their birdfeeders I know that they do not understand what is expected of them from this lesson. I will give the students a summative assessment during the time they share their birdfeeders and the approaches they took in creating it. If students are able to support their findings with evidence and were able to make changes to their birdfeeders during the redesign process, then I know that they understand what was being asked of them. If the students are not able to support their findings with evidence and were not able to make accurate changes to their birdfeeders during the redesign process, then I know that they did not understand what was asked of them.