Set: The lesson should begin with an informal question period. Six questions based on Roma Gans' book "How Do Birds Find Their Way? " will be placed on the overhead projector for the students to answer. This question period will be used to assess the students prior knowledge. A peaceful environment should be be set up and the students should be encouraged to take risks. The students should then be asked to listen for the answers as you read the story.

Body of Lesson: A brief instructional period will follow the story. Information about migration will be discussed. Use the overhead projector to display the four North American migratory flyways which are:

• Pacific Flyway
• Central Flyway
• Mississippi Flyway
• Atlantic Flyway

Additional migration information should be discussed in this brief instructional period such as:

• How do birds know when it is time to migrate?
• changes in the amount of light, temperature, and food
• The three methods birds use to navigate.
• magnetism, the sun and stars, and by following land formations
• How does weather affect bird migration?
• birds follow different air patterns which change with the season.
• Problems encountered while migrating
• bad storms, predators, hunters, loss of wetlands, and pollution

The class will then be broken up into groups of three. Each group will be given a book which focuses on one species of birds. Directions will be provided with each book directing the students to find specific information about that species.

Closure: When all questions are answered, each group will be asked to share their information with the rest of the class. They might explain:

• Where their bird spends the summer and winter.
• Which states/countries the bird flies over when it migrates.
• Which North American flyway the bird uses.
• The distance traveled during migration

A short question and answer period will follow this activity should there be any time remaining in the period.

Materials needed: Provide the following to each student:

• Blank map of North America.
• Labeled map of the United States.

Also needed:

• Overhead projector.
• ÒHow Do Birds Find Their Way?Ó book by Roma Gans.
• Map of the four major Flyways of North America.
• Several books on various species of birds.

Every spring people are always on the look-out to see the first Robin Redbreast to appear in their back yards. The local weather person will usually announce when the Robins are back in town. Why are we always looking for them in the spring? Where did they go, or where are they coming from? These are popular questions children ask. By teaching students about migration, you give them a better understanding of the life cycle of Birds. The rationale for teaching migration is to give the students a better understanding of why birds leave for the winter months and return for the summer months.

The instructional goals of this lesson are to:

• Develop the concept of migration. ( concept)
• Develop a set of ideas as to the importance of this concept. (attitude)
• Provide students answers to "why" birds migrate.
• Develop students data collection skills
• Develop group work skills. (process)

In order to fulfill the instructional goals of this lesson, each individual should:

• Create their own migration chart for a designated species of bird. (Psychomotor)
• migration chart should include the name of the states the bird flies over during migration, and the correct North American flyway.
• Write responses to the specific "species" questions provided in each library book.
• answers should be specific to the question asked.
• Communicate to their peers the migration routes of a particular bird. (Psychomotor)
• students should get up in front of the class and verbally answer their specific questions.
• Develop an understanding of the concept of migration. (cognitive)

which includes:

a) navigation by sun.

b) navigation by stars.

c) navigation by magnetic force

• Work cooperatively within a small group.
• help group members locate information in book, listen to others ideas, share the work load with the other members of the group.
• Develop a set of ideas as to the importance of migration and its connection to wetlands. (affective)
• Example: The resulting circumstances if wetlands are destroyed for the sake of a new mall, a golf course, or parking lot.