Build a Nest
In this lesson, children will use their engineering skills with loose parts to create nests to hold their eggs.
Learning Goals:
This lesson will help children meet the following educational standards:
- Develop beginning skills in the use of science and engineering practices such as observing, asking questions, solving problems, and drawing conclusions
- Explore the physical properties of objects
- Use tools and technology to assist with science and engineering investigations
Learning Targets:
After this lesson, children should be more proficient at:
- Developing and using models to represent their ideas, observations and explanations through activities such as drawing, building or modeling with clay
- Understanding that living things rely on the environment and/or others to live and grow
- Identifying, describing and comparing the physical properties of objects
- Experimenting with the changes that matter undergoes when combined with other substances
- Using nonstandard and standard scientific tools for investigation
- Exploring concepts and information about the physical, earth and life sciences
Step 1: Gather materials.
- The book, Mama Built a Little Nest, by Jennifer Ward
- Newspapers and/or tablecloths for easier cleanup
- Paper plates for nest bases
- Plastic Easter eggs
- Playdough or clay
- Twigs, sticks and grass
- Wire and/or pipe cleaners
- Yarn and string
Step 2: Introduce activity.
- Hold up the book: Mama Built a Little Nest
- Introduce the children to the idea of nonfiction books versus fiction books.
- Say: "Let’s look at the cover of this book. Look at the two birds. How are they alike? How are they different? What are they doing? What do you think the large green object is? What do you think it is made of? What do we know about nests? Are all nests built the same? How are nests built?"
- Read the story aloud. After reading the book, you may wish to revisit some of the previous questions.
- Ask: "How are birds able to create such strong, durable structures using only their beaks and feet?"
- Say: "Today we are going to build our own nests!"
Step 3: Engage children in lesson activities.
- Set up the materials that the children will need to build their own bird nests. This can get messy. You may choose to lay down newspapers or tablecloths or, weather permitting, take this project outdoors.
- Explain that the clay/playdough and the pipe cleaners will help the children create a nest base on top of a paper plate.
- Now let the children build their nests without any rules or guidelines. Let them “Be the birds” and see what they can design.
- This activity fosters a greater understanding and appreciation for wildlife. While the children work on their nests, introduce the concepts of caring for the earth and all living things.
- When the nests are complete, display them with the plastic eggs inside.
Step 4: Engineering vocabulary
- Fiction: A made-up story
- Design: To create a plan for something that will be built
- Craggy: Rough and uneven
- Hoot: An amazing situation and also the call of an owl
- Nonfiction: A story that really happened; a true story based on facts
- Talon: Claw of a bird
Suggested Books
- A Nest is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston
- An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston
- Bird Builds a Nest: A First Science Storybook by Martin Jenkins
- Birds and Their Nests by Linda Tagliaferro
- Little Swan by Jonathan London
- The Beak Book by Robin Page
- Whose Nest? by Victoria Cochrane
Music and Movement
- "The Green Grass Grows All Around" performed by Buffalo and Brandy
- "Little Bird, Little Bird" performed by Elizabeth Mitchell
- "Three Little Birds" performed by Bob Marley
Outdoor Connections
- Winter is a great season to take a walk around your neighborhood to search for nests in trees, gutters, mailboxes, and other cozy little areas.
Web Resources
- Download this sheet of Illinois Reads Activities for the book, Mama Built a Little Nest.
- Extend the learning with this Mama Built a Nest Classroom and Activity Guide.
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