Pinecone Bird Feeders

After learning about all about how different animals prepare for winter, this activity first came about when the students wanted to make bird feeders for the trees around the school. Here's how to recreate it:

• Bring in all different photos of bird feeders and have students see how the various ways that birds can get their food from them. 
• Encourage students to make bird feeders with classroom materials (ex. duplo, blocks, magnet tiles, etc.)
  • Put out craft supplies such as string, popsicle sticks, and glue for students who want to actually hang their feeders outside. 
• Later on, ask students what natural/outside materials they think could be good for the birds to use. 
• As a class, go on a forest walk to collect pinecones. If this is not possible, then bring them in for your students to use. 
• Encourage students to brainstorm how to hang them in a tree and see all the ways they come up with! 
• Have students wrap string around their pinecone to get it ready to hang. 
• Show them how to roll their pinecone in crisco shortening and then again in bird seeds or place the seed on by hand to incorporate more fine motor. 
• Place the pinecone bird feeders off to the side to dry. 
• The next day, head outside as a class and have everyone find the a tree to hang their feeder.