For as long as anyone on staff at Dike Newell Elementary can remember, Kindergarteners have been learning about owls and environmental educators from Chewonki Foundation have come and presented their owls to the students.
Since returning from winter vacation early in January, the kindergarten classrooms at Dike Newell have been all things owls. Teachers use owls to integrate subjects and stimulate projects in science, language arts, math and art. Their students are singing about owls, reading about owls, and especially learning animal science. Knowing what makes an owl an owl, and being able to talk about their habitats and what they eat, these youngsters become experts in owl life. They have fun learning “big science words like carnivore, nocturnal, talons, and habitat.” according to Leslie Gallant, Kindergarten teacher. “When the theme was first introduced, students were asked 2 guiding questions: How do owls survive in the wild?
What traits make owls unique? By the end, every student can answer these questions.”
Then comes everyone’s favorite part, a visit from Chewonki and the Owls of Maine. Owls of Maine is one of the 13 different presentations that Chewonki produces as part of their Traveling Natural History Program . These interactive, educational programs have been adapted to meet the Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core Standards helping to educate, engage, and entertain students. The two live owls that come into the classroom were injured in the wild and cannot safely be released due to these injuries.
Interested in bringing a presentation to your classroom? To learn more about the Chewonki Traveling Natural History Program visit Traveling Natural History Program - Chewonki.