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Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest
by Irene Kelly
This book describes a variety of nests and other interesting places that birds lay their eggs.

 
Resources for Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest:
Full Book Review (English)
Full Book Review (Spanish)
Brief Book Review (English)
Brief Book Review (Spanish)

**Spanish Versions to come soon!
Activities for Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest:
Nest Making (English)
Hacer un Nido (Spanish)

What does it take to build a bird’s nest?        

 

Math Connections: 

Measurement              Comparing

Counting          

 

Activities to Do Together: 

  • Talk with children about comparing sizes of birds and their nests using words like bigger, smaller, heavier, and lighter.

  • Discuss the different shapes, sizes, and colors of different birds. Ask your child what they think is the same with all birds and how they are different from each other.

  • Go to a local park or your backyard and look for birds’ nests.

  • Gather natural materials and build a nest. How much weight will the nest hold? Help your child to be persistent and encourage them to work on the nest until it will hold an object.

 

Extension Questions: 

  1. What materials do you think could be used to build a nest.

  2. Bald eagle nests can weigh as much as two tons. How much could three bald eagle nests weigh altogether?

  3. As you are reading the book ask the child if the nest you are reading about is a small or large nest. Ask: Why do you think so?

  4. Classify birds by the nests they build: cup-shaped nests, birds that do not build nests, birds that make their nests in a hole, and birds that make their nests with mud.

 

Vocabulary for Building Math Concepts: 

balance, circle, eight-foot, every, feet, fifty, flat, four, gigantic, more than, nine, one, one hundred, pair, pattern, shallow, single, six thousand, small, tall, ten, thirteen, tons, top, twenty-four, two, vertical, wide

Please check out the Book Guide for Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest for more!

Online External Resources for Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest:

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