I come from an educational background where nature was integrated into the lesson planning for nearly every subject. In fact, nature was the core foundation of the school and the philosophy it stood for. So when it cam to STEM activities, we observed nature and tried to mimic it, from science and engineering to art and social studies, there is so much to learn from one's natural surroundings!

One of the STEM activities that all of the younger kids always enjoyed was learning how to build a bird's nest, it's a lot more complex than meets the eye! This project can be done at home during the school holidays or it can be done as a group in the classroom. From start to finish it entails that the child studies and observes nature, it encourages them to focus on the finer details of what goes into building a nest and how these details need to be engineered so that a sturdy nest is built as the end result.

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The Lesson Plan 

I always like to start a lesson off with a story, especially for primary school children. Stories have a way to both ignite and prepare the imagination, they also have a way of giving insight into the rest of the lesson. In this case, stories that involve birds and nests are ideal. I have gathered 3 recommendations for you:

1. Big Bird's New Nest - by Justine Korman

2. Bluebird's Nest - by  Dorothea DePrisco

3. Two little birds - by Mary Newell DePalma

Once you have your young ones in a calm state from the book reading, then ideally you want to prepare them for a walk outdoors to observe nests, taking note of all the different kinds. If you do not have access to many trees and nests, then you can either find a few to set up on a viewing table prior to the lesson or you could simply source images of nests for children to look at. Having at least one nest for the students to touch, feel and study is very important though.

Different Types Of Birds Nests: 

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Now it's time to raid the outdoors. Give each of the kids a bucket of sorts and ask them to collect things from nature that they think could be used to build a sturdy nest. You can either let them decided what to collect for themselves or you could suggest a list of items to look out for. Nest building materials can include:

• Grass and reeds
• Twigs
• Feathers
• Leaves

Spend a good amount of time outdoors here, let the fresh air open minds to observe the simple pieces of nature that birds use to build their homes and give the kids an opportunity to appreciate this. Once everyone is happy that they have enough materials to build their very own nest, you can get crafting, either indoors or outdoors. 

* While you are outside, have some fun and mimic birds. Flap wings, rustle pretend feathers and tweet a few tunes.

Now you can get the students to manipulate the materials they have collected from nature to form the shape of a bird's nest. At first they might not get it right, but with your guidance, encourage them to weave the grasses and twigs together. To make it a little easier for the very young children you can permit them to use a touch of craft glue. This might take some time and perhaps you might want to plan the finishing of the nests over a few days. 

* One the nests have been completed, the children can place them in a tree as a display.

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What You Can Gain And Learn From Nest Building 

1. You can ignite the imagination by initiating pretend play (act like birds)

2. Physical exercise by walking outdoors

3. Learning about nature and how birds (and all animals) make their homes

4. Build logic by guessing what is required to build a nest and then see if they work (and how they work)

5. Creativity, all the nests will come out unique to each child making them

6. Fine motor skills are developed

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We can learn so much just by spending time outdoors and observing the simplicity of nature. You will also notice that most children learn best when they have the opportunity to observe, touch and mimic the subject matter. Luckily the resources in nature offer the chance to do just that. Enjoy your nest-building activity!

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