Birds are always a fascinating study for any age.  And a unit study on birds is a great way to implement the one-room-schoolhouse teaching style.  There are SO many great ideas for every subject!

 

A friend of mine has a very woodsy backyard, and one day, as her kids were sitting at the kitchen table doing their schoolwork, they noticed that several different types of birds would often come close to their window.  Curious, they looked up what type of birds they were seeing, keeping a list of all the birds they saw in their backyard.  Now, whenever they notice a new one, they pour through their bird books and figure out what type they saw.  They made bird feeders to draw in more species of birds and have since learned what to plant in their garden to keep the birds fluttering through their yard.  What began as a simple interest turned into a side-study on local birds.  That, my friends, is homeschooling at its finest.

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Drawing a bird isn't too challenging in concept, but practicing the details and color variances within the feather groupings takes a little extra attention and time.  This lesson on "How to Draw a Cardinal" is the perfect way to begin a bird study.  Try it here, then use what you learned to draw the local birds in your own backyard!