Sisters Elementary School is for the birds

With such a grand diversity of birds inhabiting the Sisters area, it is no wonder second grade teachers Julia Sweeton and Joni Stengel of Sisters Elementary School chose that subject to teach science and communication skills to their students.

When I asked Julia about what the children are doing, she replied, "The children learn a variety of things about birds, their feathers, beaks, eggs, life cycle, flight, predators, habitats, characteristics and food chain. Each child selects a bird to do a report that includes research, visual tri-folds and oral presentations. And we go to the High Desert Museum for a special teaching and visit the bird exhibits."

Watching Tanner Head present his information of the short-eared owl was a delight. Not only was he knowledgeable about the natural history of the owl, but he spoke well and was graded on his overall presentation, after which members of the class were invited to make positive comments about Tanner's presentation.

I had visited both classrooms with an "educational owl," a great horned owl that could not be returned to the wild because of injuries sustained after a collision with a motor vehicle. Several other children had picked other owls for their presentations and came up with excellent questions after seeing the live owl.

This program, which is a focus in the second grade science curriculum, not only opens the door to Oregon's rich natural history, bird biology and conservation education but also works in other skills of the school curriculum. A win-win deal if there ever was one.