Let's build a birdhouse

Students select suitable recycled and sustainable materials to build birdhouses, which reduces waste and encourages ecological thinking. They understand that birds need a safe haven to raise their young in urban areas where natural habitats are limited. They assemble and construct, decorate and color. After creating the final product, children will have the opportunity to observe birds in their natural environment. This activity will stimulate children's interest in nature and its conservation.

Planned duration: 2 hours (+ one week for observation)

Science: They know the properties of different materials - hardness, thermal conductivity, brittleness, elasticity, water resistance.
Understand the need to protect the environment as a condition for the preservation of all living organisms

Technology: Children apply different techniques - cutting, measuring, appliqué. They connect the different elements in the product.

Engineering: Develop a plan for a birdhouse, including dimensions and materials.

Mathematics: They consider how to place the birdhouse in space. They measure and determine how large the opening of the house should be so that the birds can easily enter, but also be small enough to be protected from predators.

Students will decorate the birdhouse using different paints and natural materials.

• Recycled milk/juice cartons

• Plastic bottles

• Paint of choice

• Paint brushes

• Twine or cord

• Wooden sticks

• Utility knife, scissors

• Natural materials

• Duct tape

• Cardboard boxes

• Why is it important to provide a safe and suitable nesting place for birds?

• How can recycling materials help protect the environment?

• Which materials would be suitable for making a birdhouse?

• How will I make the entrance?

• What can we use to connect the elements?

• Where will I place the house?

• At what height should it be located?

• How will I secure the house?

• How will I protect the house from predators?

• How will I keep it clean?

• How can I make the house attractive to birds?

1. Establishing the students' prior knowledge:

The teacher introduces the class to the topic through a video related to the impact of pollution on wildlife and ecosystems. A discussion is held on how we can reduce waste and help protect the environment. We focus on the benefits of recycling: reducing waste, saving resources, limiting pollution, protecting the environment, and creating a safer and cleaner environment for animals.

2. Problem statement:

Instead of throwing away materials like plastic and cardboard, we can reuse them to create useful things like birdhouses. I suggest you try designing and building a birdhouse using recycled materials. It should be functional, durable, and safe for the birds. It should be easy to maintain and assemble.

Students look at the recycled materials provided to use in the project and select those that will be suitable for the main structure of the house.

3. Generating ideas (brainstorming)

During this stage, the teacher encourages children to share all their ideas related to the problem at hand. Students make assumptions about the properties of the materials provided - which ones will withstand external conditions (rain, snow, strong sun), insulating properties, flexibility, strength, water resistance, durability. Here, students can conduct appropriate experiments. They come to the conclusion that the right selection of materials will provide a stable, long-lasting and safe house for birds, while at the same time contributing to environmental protection through the reuse of waste materials. They consider carefully how they could attract birds to use the house - a natural type that fits well into the natural environment.

4. Proposing a solution/design / Building a hypothesis:

Students continue to actively discuss, divided into groups. They conduct experiments to determine the properties of the available materials. They preliminarily draw the expected product (birdhouse). They carefully select the appropriate materials according to how they would affect the strength and durability of the house. They come to the conclusion that if they use a plastic bottle/juice box, the house will be more resistant to external influences compared to a house built of cardboard/paper. They formulate questions, collect and analyze data, draw conclusions based on their observations and the experiments performed.

They offer different ideas for the shape and size of the entrance to the house, how to measure and determine its size. They consider how to connect the individual elements (base, roof, hanging cord, place for the birds to perch) and how high to hang the house to protect its inhabitants from predators.

5. Implementing the solution (creating a prototype / constructing a hypothesis)

Individual groups choose how they will implement their ideas and construct the final product. All the while, students discuss their ideas with each other and make decisions together.

6. Review of results (analyzing data and drawing a conclusion; redesign):

When all the students are ready, they examine the houses they have made and decide whether they meet the expectations set in advance. They assess whether the materials chosen are appropriate and whether the elements are well connected so that the house structure is sufficiently stable and functional. If necessary, they make the necessary changes and improvements.

After hanging the houses in the schoolyard for a week, the students observe and fill out an observation questionnaire. They answer the questions in writing. They discuss the information collected and the children discover for themselves which projects were successful and why. A discussion is held on how they could improve the design of the house.

7. Presentation of the final product:

After completing the birdhouse, each team selects a spokesperson who presents the overall product. The teams share what stages of work they went through, if they encountered any difficulties and how they overcame them.

The following questions can be asked:

• What inspired you to choose the design for your birdhouse?

• What challenges did you face during construction and how did you overcome them?

• How did you choose the materials and what were their advantages and disadvantages?

• How did you work as a team and what was your involvement in the process?

• What new techniques/skills did you learn while making the birdhouse?

• What would you do differently if you had to start over?

• What other objects could you create using recycled materials?

8. Evaluation of the learning process

The activity is assessed through observation - during discussions, practical activities, presentation of the product.

The teacher films the entire process.