Updated: Dec 13, 2022
As part of their life science unit, students in 3rd grade study animal life cycles. They discuss how we can assist animals by providing resources that are lacking in the environment due to human impacts or natural environmental changes. With this knowledge in mind and winter approaching, we thought it would be a wonderful time to help our local bird friends by feeding them through one of a kind designed feeders.
To begin this project, the students learned a little about the art technique of color blocking. We looked at a few artists famous for this technique, Piet Mondrian and Mark Rothko (whose works we can see at the Cleveland Museum of Art!).
We gave the students a plastic tube (which would become the feeder) and an array of paints to apply. But first, they needed to mask off portions of the feeder to achieve a look of clean lines and bold color contrasts. After they completed the feeders, the students inserted a couple craft sticks (for the birds to feed from) and a string for hanging. The feeders will get a clear protective coating and will be ready to hang! This project is a creative way for students to help some neighborhood animals, while observing their behavior and natural beauty.