With more than 9,000 bird species in the world, there's a lot to learn about them! Start with our list of fun bird-themed things to learn and then check out BioExplorer.net for an introduction to ornithology and to dive deeper into the study of these interesting global creatures.
Here are five fun bird-themed things to teach your kids this week:
1. A silly joke
Are you tired of "Why did the chicken cross the road?" jokes? Here's an eggs-sighting joke that is sure to quack you up!
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What do you call a hen who counts her eggs? A mathemachicken.
2. A new vocabulary word
Turkeys are known to gobble, the act of making a loud gurgling sound. Is "gobble" related to "gobbledygook?" Nope. It turns out that even though gobbledygook has the word gobble in it, it's not related to birds at all.
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What is gobbledygook? Gobbledygook is a word used to describe something that doesn't make any sense.
3. A word puzzle
To solve a rebus, consider not just the words, but the placement, size, color, and quantity of everything within the box (and sometimes just outside the box!) when trying to decipher the puzzle.
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4. A fun fact
You've probably heard the debate, "Which came first: the chicken or the egg?" Sources point to the egg, but what came before the chicken egg?
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The chicken is the closest living relative to the Tyrannosaurus Rex. In 2003, scientists were able to pinpoint a link between the two. It turns out that the collagen in a T Rex's bones is most similar to chickens and ostriches. The next closest match is to alligators. Read more about this fun discovery at Smithsonianmag.com.
For even more ridiculous yet fun facts about birds, visit mspca.org.
5. Ask yourself...
How well do you handle mornings? Do you seem to have more energy in the evenings? Modern-day work and school schedules seem to favor early birds, but once you figure out your true identity, you can create routines that help you thrive.
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Are you an early bird or a night owl? Early birds tend to wake up and go to bed early. They feel their best as the day begins. Night owls, on the other hand, tend to wake up and go to bed later. They have more energy at night.
Learn more about each one at healthline.com.
"Birds learn how to fly, never knowing where flight will take them." - Mark Nepo
Did you learn something new? Now is the time to pass that knowledge on!
Sarah Hauge is the publisher of Macaroni KID Englewood, Greenwood Village, Centennial, Colo.
