Module/Week 5
Birds
Laboratory & Media Piece
Birds Objective
Develop a media piece that teaches about a range of bird characteristics that can be encountered on field excursions.
Assignment (due Sunday on Canvas)
Birds were introduced in last week’s Identification guide:
Bird Characteristics
For this assignment you are making a media pieces that teaches about a range of bird characteristics that can be useful knowledge on a field excursion. Describe each with rich and thorough media (sketches, text, photos, videos, creative writing, etc.) as if you are teaching a fellow adult who has limited knowledge of birds.
If you make bird media outdoors, take your field kit along with safety gear along, be alert, and travel with others when possible.
Note: it is illegal to collect most feathers outdoors. Take a photo, make a sketch, add notes, and leave the feather where it lies.
Include in your Birds media piece:
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An explanation of how birds are classified in field guides, including an example of a bird’s classification from Domain to species (Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Subphylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, species). Include examples of birds representing two different Orders. Note that although Class Aves is being replaced by Class Sauropsida that includes both the reptiles and birds, most field guides will continue to classify birds in Class Aves.
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A description of bird anatomical structures, including; bones, feathers, beaks, & talons.
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An explanation of what field marks are and an example of field marks being used to identify a bird.
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Examples of indirect bird evidence that can be found in the field, including bird tracks, scat, castings, nests, and eggs.
Media Directions
Submitted to Canvas.
Upload your birds media piece to Canvas. Your piece can be submitted as a PDF, a word document, captioned photos, or even a video. Multiple assignment formats are supported.
