1st Graders Learn the Ways of Barn Owls

First grade students at Independence, Fries and and Grayson Highlands School learned about barn owls in this month’s K-2 Reading Program.

Volunteer Sarah Osborne read the book Barn Owls, and used talons and feathers from the BRDC collection to engage students in the study of these nocturnal raptors. Mrs. Osborne also used the Cornell Lab’s Merlin Bird ID app to play the sounds of the barn owl. After answering questions such as “What do barn owls eat?” and “How old do they get?”, the class played a rousing game of Owl Bingo.

The purpose of the Reading Program is to enrich nature discovery in grades K-2, using stories and illustrations based on the treasures of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  This program uses nonfiction, imaginative tales and hands on activities, both indoors and out, to encourage curiosity and build relationships with the natural world.

This school year, BRDC will be offering the program to all first grade classes, once a month. Each month, students will have the opportunity to learn about the habitat, ecology, biological diversity and life cycle of a variety of plants, animals and ecosystems. The November program will feature a book and activity about trees. What a fun way to discover the world around us!