The Bird House Book: How To Build Fanciful Birdhouses and Feeders, from the Purely Practical to the Absolutely Outrageous
on Goodreads (20)
What’s inside...
Treat the feathered visitors to your garden to comfortable places to stay by building bird houses designed to suit birds' needs as well as to delight the human eye. This guide includes more than 30 projects including a rustic log cabin, a country cottage, a '50s diner, a San Francisco row house, and many others. Each project features full-color photos, detailed patterns, grids, and instructions, plus charts on hole size, perch height, and feeding--and tips on attracting and protecting preferred species.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
11-12
Length
128 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What kind of birdhouse would you like to build and why?
How do you think birds would react to the different birdhouses in the book?
Can you think of any materials you would like to use to build a birdhouse? Why those materials?
What do you think makes a birdhouse not just functional, but also fun or outrageous?
How does building a birdhouse help both birds and people?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to describe their ideal birdhouse and discuss practical steps to make that vision a reality.
Connect the discussion to broader environmental themes, such as the importance of providing safe habitats for wildlife.
As you explore the book, ask your child to point out their favorite designs and discuss what makes them unique or functional.
Consider planning a family project to build a birdhouse based on one of the designs in the book, enhancing the shared reading experience.
Use the book’s illustrations to inspire creativity and ask your child to draw their version of a fanciful birdhouse.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Creativity and Innovation
Explanation: The book showcases a variety of birdhouse designs that range from simple to complex, encouraging children to think creatively and embrace their imagination.
Real-World Application: Children can apply these creative skills in school projects or in finding unique solutions to everyday problems.
Example Lesson: Responsibility for Nature
Explanation: By building birdhouses, children learn about the needs of birds and the importance of caring for the environment.
Real-World Application: This lesson translates to broader environmental stewardship as kids understand the impact of their actions on nature and learn to take care of their surroundings.
Example Lesson: Following Instructions
Explanation: The book provides step-by-step instructions for building birdhouses, teaching children how to follow detailed guidance to achieve a specific goal.
Real-World Application: This skill helps children in academic settings, such as following a recipe in a cooking class, or assembling a science project, enhancing their ability to process and follow complex instructions.
Example Lesson: Patience and Perseverance
Explanation: Building birdhouses can be a detailed and sometimes challenging process, which teaches children the value of patience and the importance of perseverance in completing a project.
Real-World Application: These qualities are vital in all areas of life, especially in mastering new skills or dealing with challenging tasks in school.
Example Lesson: Appreciation for Craftsmanship
Explanation: The book highlights the beauty and functionality of well-crafted birdhouses, inspiring an appreciation for skilled craftsmanship.
Real-World Application: Children learn to value the work and effort behind handmade items, which can translate to an appreciation of arts and crafts, leading to hobbies or even future career interests in design or engineering.