Whether you have students or a small group, we have a program for everyone that includes a visit from at least one National Aviary Animal Ambassador! Many of the programs below can also be made available for classes visiting the National Aviary or virtually with CyBIRD Learning!
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For Preschool & Kindergarten
Nature’s Diner
Through puppets, props and a visit from an Animal Ambassador, National Aviary educators introduce children to different birds, their foods, and how each species eats.
Nature’s Rainbow
Children discover how important colors are to the animal world with the help of an Animal Ambassador, brightly colored bird feathers, and other exciting learning tools.
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For Elementary Schools
Bird Classification
Using hands-on observation techniques and interactive activities, students will learn what characteristics make a bird, well, a bird! Students will also learn what makes different families of birds unique.
Amazing Adaptations
Birds are special and specialized. Students discover the unique characteristics, and “meet” species with the most amazing feet, feathers and beaks!
Habitats
From the frigid arctic to tropical rainforests, birds can be found in nearly every habitat on Earth! Learn what an animal needs to survive and how birds thrive in the most extreme ecosystems.
Rainforest
Discover rainforests through the eyes of its birds. Home to nearly half of the world’s plant and animal species, students examine how rainforests support ecological balance as well as global economies, and why it is important for us to conserve this valuable natural resource.
Owls
Owls are one of the most recognizable birds on earth, yet they remain elusive to many because of their habits and behaviors. Students will learn about owls from around the world and discover the adaptations that make them successful hunters, day and night! -
For Middle Schools
Backyard Scientist
Put your scientific observation skills to the test! Venture through National Aviary habitats and get a glimpse of how scientists study wild bird populations. Students will also learn how they can get involved in local community science projects, conservation efforts, and the positive effects they can have on their own backyard.
Amazing Adaptations
Birds are special and specialized. Students discover the unique characteristics, and “meet” species with the most amazing feet, feathers and beaks!
Birds and Conservation
Approximately 40% of the world’s bird populations are declining. As of 2018, one in eight bird species are now considered to be Endangered Species. Students will explore the role humans and environmental factors play on the decline of various species. They will also discover how the conservation efforts of zoos, scientists, and everyday community members (like them!) have led once-endangered species to make a comeback. Get an insider’s look into National Aviary bird conservation projects. Includes a visit from one of the National Aviary’s Animal Ambassadors, with a personal story about the bird they meet.
Habitats
From the frigid arctic to tropical rainforests, birds can be found in nearly every habitat on Earth! Learn what an animal needs to survive and how birds thrive in the most extreme ecosystems.
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For High Schools
Birds and Conservation
Approximately 40% of the world’s bird populations are declining. As of 2018, one in eight bird species are now considered to be Endangered Species. Students will explore the role humans and environmental factors play on the decline of various species. They will also discover how the conservation efforts of zoos, scientists, and everyday community members (like them!) have led once-endangered species to make a comeback. Get an insider’s look into National Aviary bird conservation projects. Includes a visit from one of the National Aviary’s Animal Ambassadors, with a personal story about the bird they meet.
Science and Animal Behavior
How do we know where birds migrate to in the winter? How about what different bird sounds and behaviors mean? Or even how long a species lives in the wild? Scientists learn answers to these questions, and others, by following the scientific method while making direct observations in the wild. Students will implement the same methods and data collection techniques that ornithologists use by watching the birds and animals who live in the National Aviary’s immersive, free-flight habitats, and completing ethograms on what they see. A combination of classroom activities and independent observation work encourages students to think like scientists.
Zoo Careers
Do your students wonder what it’s like to be a zoo veterinarian? What about a zookeeper? In this program we’ll learn all about zoo careers and what it takes to work in a zoo environment.
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For Small Groups
For Small Groups
Intro to Appreciating Birds
It’s not uncommon for people to feel nervous around birds. After all, they can fly and make sudden movements, and there are many varied species, some of which are elusive or even unusual. Birds can also bring so much joy to our lives. Their songs, their beauty, and their critically important role in our shared ecosystem are all wonderful reasons to learn to appreciate and enjoy birds. Join the National Aviary to learn about birds and what makes them so special with this exciting program.What’s Good for Birds is Good for Your Backyard
By creating bird-friendly habitat for birds you reduce the amount of time spent lawn-mowing, you reduce or eliminate your use of garden pesticides and herbicides, and you give yourself a beautiful living landscape that is healthier for you, your children, your pets, and wild birds. This class will give you a place to start in thinking about ways you can change your yard to be more attractive and productive for birds and, at the same time, happier and healthier for you!
We Do Bird Conservation
There is a great deal of work behind the scenes that positively impacts bird conservation around the world. This program will focus on what it is that our visitors may not know about the National Aviary: its successes and ongoing strategies for promoting bird conservation.
