Arguably, one of the most important reasons to study birds is to further our awareness of the ecosystems that support all life on earth. Of course, birds also bring us joy and provide an important food source. Learning about their ever-shifting populations, habitats, and environmental health is something every age group can appreciate. The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) has eResources for all ages, but there is an exceptional amount of content on birds available for K-8 students.
Covering seven main categories of birds including Birds of Prey, Flightless Birds, Shorebirds, and Waterfowl, Britannica School provides detailed articles with built-in accessibility tools. Available in each category are vibrant images and exceptional video clips, such as those on osprey, penguins, and ducks. Articles on ornithology, John James Audubon, Alexander Wilson, and much more bird-related content can be found in this MeL eResource.
Searching the keyword bird brings back over 300 titles in the eBook K-8 Collection, including Bringing Back the Whooping Crane and other eBooks about endangered species. There are also several books available on bird habitat and migration. Be sure to explore the eBook Public Library Collection for additional titles.
PebbleGo, a resource for early elementary students, presents dozens of bird species in an interactive resource, complete with text read aloud by off-Broadway actors and actresses, highlighted text, visual navigation, audio navigation (hover sounds), activities, and citation. Details of each bird (including 17 different species of penguins) include habitat, food, life cycle, and fun facts. Additionally, there is always at least one type of media (map, video, image, audio, etc.) to support the article.
In the World of Animals: Birds section of World Book Kids, elementary-age students can access individual animal exhibits, such as the Spotted Owl Exhibit. There, they can listen to the sound the owl makes, watch video clips, read about its greatest predators (great horned owl), learn quirky facts (after a spotted owl eats a rat, it spits up a pellet that holds the rat’s bones and fur), and link directly to outside resources like National Geographic, KidZone, and international conservation websites. Moreover, World Book Kids has read-aloud tools, and the article content links directly to Google Classroom.
As we finish February, National Bird Feeding Month, consider taking a deep dive into the many resources available through MeL to learn more about birds.
If you have any MeL eResources questions or issues, contact melerhelp@mcls.org for help.
Brought to you by Ann Kaskinen from the MeL Team.
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MeL eResources are available to Michigan residents or for Michigan library or school access only.
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