Observe Ducks

Materials:

Nature Journal, writing utensil of choice, oats or peas

Activity:

Go to a local pond where ducks are accustomed to human interaction and observe the ducks. If you choose to feed them make sure it is oats or peas - not bread. Take the opportunity to get close observations of the animals and watch their feet underwater.

Younger: 

Teach younger children to respect the animals as they interact. While the birds may be accustomed to humans, they are still wild animals. 

Older:

Discuss the pros and cons of feeding ducks with older children and why it is important to understand their diet and habits before doing so. Talk about how their bodies are designed for their habitat.

Take it Further:

Do a mini-lesson on ducks, bird adaptations, or talk about the impact of humans on urban animals. There are so many fun resources on pond studies, birds, and adaptations! Below you’ll find a duck unit by Steph Hathaway Designs, a Bird Anatomy Set by Mirus Toys, and a FREE bird unit (click the photo to download). The bird unit used to be cards I used in a bird unit study (my first product years ago!) and they haven’t been reformated (or updated) for print but they have tons of great information and fun activities for doing a bird unit study.

Duck Unit by Steph Hathoway Designs

Bird Anatomy Set by Mirus Toys

FREE bird unit by Hatching Curiosity