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Back to Children's Literature
Fish Eyes
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:
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Talk with children about comparing sizes of birds and their nests using words like bigger, smaller, heavier, and lighter.
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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.
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Go to a local park or your backyard and look for birds’ nests.
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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:
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What materials do you think could be used to build a nest.
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Bald eagle nests can weigh as much as two tons. How much could three bald eagle nests weigh altogether?
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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?
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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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For more animal facts and comparisons go to National Geographic Kids There are a variety of family resources on this site that may be helpful for parents and interesting for children.