USING THE WORLD SERIES OF BIRDING AS A TEACHING STRATEGY:

The World Series of Birding provides a multitude of teaching opportunities. Besides having the students learn about migratory birds, their behavior and their habitats, a teacher can use this event as the mechanism for the following:

Strengthen students’ observation skills by encouraging

• Bird identification through visual and auditory means
• Patience

Teach about local and global conservation issues by learning about

• Importance of open space
• Need for habitat preservation
• Effects of forest fragmentation
• Importance of maintaining species biodiversity
• Value of backyard / schoolyard habitat

Encourage teamwork by having students

• Function as a unit according to specified event rules
• Plan a strategy for their event – including their route, support logistics, how to raise money to support their conservation cause/project

Expose students to "birding" as a hobby/sport

Promote the event within the community to heighten awareness of conservation, migration, and habitat preservation.