Today I spent my morning with my friend Vicki's 6th grade science classes speaking with them about migration. I hadn't been as nervous about speaking to a group in a very long time. Pretty sad to be intimidated by a bunch of 6th graders. But they had been primed and were ready for me. It seemed that at times some were wandering a bit and disintersted, but I would have to guess that is a normal situation. It was a learning experience for me and I would approach things in a slightly different fashion next time. Part of the problem was I tried to cram as much info as I could into what amounted to about 35 minutes of actual talk time and it was just impossible to do with the amount of info I had prepared.
It was rewarding to hear their ooh's and aah's as I talked about the incredible migrations some birds undertake (featured species were: Arctic Tern, Bar-tailed Godwit, Bristle-thighed Curlew, Red Knot, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and Blackpoll Warbler). Many eyes opened wide as I talked about Ruby-throats flying across the Gulf - just moments after telling them how these little birds weigh less than a nickel. Even moreso after I told them that the Bar-tailed's intestines, liver, and kidney's atrophy so that the bird can store more fat. And many probably wished they had the Arctic Tern's ability to put one side of their brain to sleep. Unihemispheric Sleep is a term the will probably not soon forget.
I included discussions about diet (though important to the topic I may drop this part or at least drastically edit it in the interest of time) and ways that ornithologists track migration (including banding - with pics of a banded Piping Plover, radar ornithology, and satellite tracking).
One girl seemed to be particularly troubled as I spoke about the Red Knot's horrific population decline because of the Horseshoe Crab being overharvested on Delaware Bay (learn more at the Defender's of Wildlife website).
A girl in the 3rd period class handed me a piece of folded up notebook paper at the end of the period addressed to "Mr. Bird" - on it were drawings of birds.
Totally awsome!
And I understand many of the kids have written notes to me already.
All-in-all an incredible (and richly rewarding) experience for me. I hope I get the chance to do it again.
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