Connecting with an expert using Skype

First graders in Mrs. Scharffenberg's class have been learning about birds in their "Backyard Science" unit.  They set up some bird feeders outside of their classroom windows and observe the visiting birds everyday.  Students have also learned about characteristics and behaviors of birds.  They make bird treat with different types of seeds and proteins to see learn about eating habits and adaptations of the birds.  Habitats and nesting have also been discussed as the students investigate different nests in their classroom.

Exploring nests 

To make this "Backyard Science" unit more authentic, Mrs. Scharffenberg scheduled a Skype session with an expert on birds.  Lisa Hutchingson from Mass Audubon joined this class to answer questions that the students had about birds.  The students took turns asking Ms. Hutchingson questions such as: What is "Anting"?, How many birds are in the world? What are her favorite birds? Why do we not see as many birds at our feeder as we used to?  We even stumped her with a question about how many Jays there are in North America.

Check out the video from our Skype session: