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the adaptations that allow birds to fly

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the benefits birds get from flying

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how the movement of air over a bird’s wings helps it fly

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that flying requires a large amount of energy

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make predictions

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develop content vocabulary

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use nonfiction text features (diagrams, labeled photographs, headings, index)

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generate questions

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Visualize

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make text-to-self connections

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make inferences

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research and present on a topic related to birds and flight

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design and conduct simple experiments about flight

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The title of the book presents a focusing question for inquiry-based learning. Students can attempt to predict the answer to the question before reading. They can then use the question as they read by identifying important information to help them answer the question.

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The boldfaced words connect to glossary definitions at the back of the book. You may choose to preview the glossary with students before reading and help them use the words in sentences to develop content vocabulary. While reading, students can use the context clues that surround these words to reinforce their understanding.

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The labeled close-up photograph on page 10 and the diagram of a bird’s digestive system on page 21 offer opportunities to develop students’ skills in reading informational text features. Discuss why labels are useful, and why the pictures would be less informative without these. Ask students why they think the book’s publishers decided to use these labeled images rather than just another pretty picture. Ask if they think the same information could be described easily with text. If necessary, point out that each image allows readers a viewpoint most pictures don’t provide, in order to increase understanding about bird body parts. The text describes these things, but readers can visualize them more easily with pictures.

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If you choose to have students preview the back cover, some students may stumble on the phrase "feathered marvels." Help them see that they can use context clues to understand that this phrase refers to birds. To understand what the word "marvels" means in this context, however, have students look up this word in a dictionary. Make sure they can choose the right part of speech and meaning that the book is using.

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You may need to help students understand some of the adaptations birds have for flying other than wings. After reading, you might make a concept map with: 1) a central oval that says "Things that Help Birds Fly," 2) linked ovals listing the body parts and behaviors that help, and 3) ovals branching out to another layer with how each part or behavior helps flight.

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ELLs and some other students may need help understanding certain idioms and vocabulary relating to flight that are not covered in the glossary. Use direct explanations, pictures, or gestures to explain words and phrases such as "stale air" (page 20), "give off the energy" (page 23), "break into flight" (page 24), and "cruise through the air" and "take off" (page 25).

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Language Arts, Grades 3–6: 1, 2, 3, 8, 12

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Mathematics, Grades 3–6: C (Life Science)

*To find full descriptions of standards and benchmarks, visit the Marshall Cavendish Correlations site

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Help students make connections to their own experiences observing birds in flight. Prompt them to visualize the last bird they saw taking off into the air. Ask them to picture what its body looked like taking off. Ask them to think about how it moved its body once it was in the air. Then ask if they can visualize other birds that looked much different in flight. What is different about how these birds move? What is the same?

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Discuss student predictions to the answer to the title question, as noted in the "Text Supports" section of this lesson. Ask students what other things they’ve wondered about birds’ flights. Write some questions on the board and explain that seeking the answers to such questions can give purpose to reading. If necessary, model generating other questions based on observations of birds, such as: Why do birds have very different sizes and shapes? Does it affect how they fly? How do big, heavy birds remain in the air? Don’t birds get tired of flying?

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Preview challenging content vocabulary with students before reading (as discussed in the "Text Supports" section of this lesson, above).

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Ask students to review any questions you or they wrote on the board before reading. Help them use text features (the headings, and index, for example) to help them find and clarify the answers to these questions. Point out the main sections of the book and where students can look to find information on why birds fly (pages 5–7), how birds and wings help (pages 9–11), how other body parts help (pages 12–17), why food is so important to providing energy for flight (pages 19–23), and how different birds fly differently (pages 25–27).

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Close the discussion of the book by looking closely at the last section and discussing inferences that may be made from the text. If necessary, model making an inference from the first paragraph on page 25. The text says that the curved shape of a bird’s wings help lift it up. Say that you infer from this that the curved shape helps the wing push more air and this helps the wing move. Connect it to the experience of cupping your hand to push more water when you swim. Say that you used this knowledge plus the text’s discussion of air to make your inference. Help students make other inferences based on the last section. For example, look at page 27 and ask why short wide wings might be perfect for taking off quickly and moving through forests (they can fit through small gaps between trees; small wings are probably lighter to lift during takeoff). Guide students to understand that readers can put clues together to increase their understandings of text.

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Students may work in pairs or small groups to conduct additional research about a topic that was mentioned in passing in the book. Each pair or group could briefly present what they learned to the other groups. For example, the author mentions the connection between dinosaurs and birds in the book’s first section; students could explore the topic of prehistoric birds further and perhaps even create a diagram showing how some scientists think reptiles evolved into birds. Additional information may be found at this "Early Birds" Web site. Some students may want to explore different uses for bird feathers or how airplane wings are like and unlike bird wings (based on the book’s second section). This "Flight Mechanics" Web site includes some mention of this comparison. Encourage students to take notes or create diagrams based on what they learn so they can effectively present to their classmates and help their classmates learn. To allow for creativity, be flexible about how students present their findings. For example, they may write and recite a poem, perform a skit, or give a more straightforward oral report.

Science

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Create a "Flying Paper Experiments Lab" for students to generate and test ideas about what things might help birds or airplanes fly or move in different ways while flying. Provide pieces of paper of different weights, scissors, paper clips (to add weight), tape, feathers, and if possible an electric fan or blow dryer. Have students set up simple experiments around questions they have about flight. Encourage them to keep their inquiry focused, to test "experimental designs" against more straightforward "control" designs, and to evaluate possible reasons for the different results they see. Have them take notes on their results. Encourage them to reread the last section of the book for ideas they want to explore. For example, the text says that birds use their tails to slow down; can students show with a paper airplane anything similar to this (such as a tail at the end that can flap up and stop flight)? What kinds of things can they change about the sizes, shapes, designs, or weight of paper airplanes to affect flight? Can they demonstrate anything using the fan or hair dryer? After students have tried their own ideas, invite them to explore Web resources such as this Exploratorium Magazine site or this NASA Paper Airplane site for ideas about different designs.