Infusion of Literacy into the Science Curriculum
Book Information
Title
Unbeatable Beaks
Author
Stephen R. Swinburne
Publisher
New York: H. Holt
Copyright Year
1999
IBN#
0805048022
Summary
Have you ever wondered why birds have
different shaped beaks? Many beaks are long
and pointy while others are round and
smooth. Some beaks have ridges; some are
even shaped like spoons. Beaks are to birds
what hands are to humans. That's why birds
can do the most amazing things with their
beaks--from spearing fish to turning eggs.
Stephen R. Swinburne's lyrical, chant-along
text and Joan Paley's stunning paper collage
illustrations introduce young children to a
variety of wonderful birds and their distinctive
beaks of all sizes, shapes, and colors.
Availability
Arlington Central Library; APS Library system
Barcroft, Claremont, Taylor; Amazon (for
purchase).
How can the book content be infused into the science curriculum?
Grade Level
K-5
Strands
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and
Logic; Life Processes, Living Systems
Kindergarten
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
K.1; K.2- Five senses, descriptions and
sequencing
K.6 & K.7 Basic life needs, processes of plants of
animals.
Grade 1
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
1.1- Classifying, measuring, predicting
1.4 & 1.5 Plants & Animals-needs, parts,
characteristics
Grade 2
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
2.1- Measurement, classification, graphs,
unexpected data
2.5 Systems include living and nonliving things.
Grade 3
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
3.1- Making predications and observations, data
charted, drawing conclusion
3.4 Animal Adaptations
Grade 4
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
4.1- Hypotheses, predictions, measurement
Grade 5
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
5.1- Classification key, measurement, graphing
data, variables
Sample Activities
Grade K-2
Bird Beak Buffet:
"Beaks" chopsticks (or clothespin), spoons, plastic
tweezers
"Bird Food" marbles, toothpicks, rubber bands, or use
real food like uncooked macaroni, sunflower seeds,
raisins, gummy worms, small candies, small cups,
pictures of different bird beaks (Avocet- spoon,
Sanderling- tweezers, Marbled Godwits-Chopsticks)
What to Do: Ask the children, "What kinds of birds
have you seen?" Allow them to name or describe the
birds they have seen. Ask, "What do birds eat?" and
"Does every bird have the same size and shape beak?"
Have them describe the types of foods they believe
birds eat and the different types of beaks they have
seen.
Discuss that bird beaks have adapted to suit the
animal's environment. Look at pictures of different
birds and hypothesize how their beaks may be useful
when feeding.
Explain to the child that they will be using different
utensils to represent the different sizes and shapes of
bird beaks. The task is to pick up various different food
items using their "beaks" and deposit them into the
small cups. Show the utensils and ask what kind of
beak they may represent. Show the food items and ask
them what kind of bird food they may represent. Write
the observations on the board or a large flip chart.
Give each child one of the utensils, a small cup and
small piles of each food item. Allow them to
experiment with which utensil is best to pick up each
food item. Regroup and discuss his findings. What size
utensil picked up the small items best? How about the
large food items? Ask him to make a hypothesis as to
which utensil is best for gathering each food item. Give
them time to test their hypotheses. Testing one food
item at a time, give them 30 seconds to gather as
many pieces as possible with their test utensil and
place them in their small cup. Create a chart to record
the results. After testing each food item, review the
results with your child. Ask him, "which utensil seems
to be better for gathering each food item?" Compare
and contrast the size and shape of the utensils to the
size of the food item. Write down the child's
observations and conclusions on the board or a flip
chart.
Allow children to eat the food items collected!
Allow the child to eat the food items she has collected in
their cups!
Grade 3-5
Extended Bird Beak Buffet.
Same activity as above, but divide the class into
groups of three.
Trial 1. Each group gets one set of “beaks”
(tweezers, chopsticks, spoons) and scatter
marbles (snails or clams) on the floor. Discuss
high tide and low tide. When you call low tide the
“birds” may try to collect as much “food” into their
stomachs (cups) until you call out high tide.
Students will count the number of food items in its
stomach and round off to the nearest multiple of
5, then add each of the food collected.
Represent each beak-type to help with the data
collection on a graph. Do the trials again using the
toothpicks (shrimp) and the rubber bands (worms)
and then all three foods at once.
Looking at the results of the graph use the
following questions to guide the discussion:
What statements could we make about the
results?
Did all three types of birds get enough or
something to eat?
Did birds seem to concentrate on gathering one
type of food?
Was it easier to get food when one item or all
three were available?
Extension: Read the Aesop Fable “The Fox and the
Stork. Create and illustration for the fable and
write what does this fable have to do with the
“Bird Beak Buffet” we did in class?
(Adapted from MARE: Marine Activities, Resources
and Education Teacher’s Guide to Wetlands).