Through For the Birds!:
•    Students become more aware of their local environment
•    Students learn that their communities are homes to a variety of plants and animals
•    School teachers are helped in meeting their curriculum needs by using a multidisciplinary, integrated, and fun program
•    School teachers become more comfortable taking their students outside and incorporating environmental education into their teaching
•    Community adult volunteers get involved with their local schools and natural areas

For the Birds! started in New York City in 1997 and has since spread to other cities throughout New York State.  The program is taught by a team of Audubon staff and Audubon-trained volunteers who regularly visit elementary students at their schools and lead them through a series of lessons that take place either inside their classrooms or outside right in their school neighborhoods.  Lessons cover a broad range of topics including bird identification, habitat, behavior, adaptations, and migration. All lessons end with a journaling session, allowing students to process and reflect upon what they have learned.  The program culminates in a field trip to a local park where students can apply their new bird knowledge and enthusiasm as they observe birds and their behavior in a variety of natural habitats.  Through ongoing assessment and evaluation, the program continues to evolve and improve with the input of participating teachers and volunteers.

For the Birds! focuses on local birds and local habitats.  This place-based learning encourages a sense of pride in one’s own community.  Gaining knowledge of the local environment empowers students to take an active interest in protecting it.

For more information about the For the Birds! program and rates, please contact the Education Manager at 845-265-2601 x10