Animal Adaptations: Focus on Bird Beaks

This website contains the directions for a lab activity simulating bird beaks. Students will use tools shaped similar to several bird beaks to determine the type of food each bird would select. This lab helps students to understand adaptations through inquiry. The assessment is determined by the number of correct beaks students are able to match to the food source. This activity can be adapted to fit the needs of students. Students will also be averaging and graphing their results incorporating math skills. The bird beak activity allows students to explore and classify adaptations through hands on inquiry. Adaptations can easily be made based on student population and materials. Teacher or student generated tables will need to be completed prior to activity. If no access to bird beak keys, the following sources have great illustrations for verification. Copy and paste URL in browser http://junior.edumedia-sciences.com/en/a638-birds-beaks Click on bird for larger view. http://www.ummz.umich.edu/birds/resources/anatomy/body/beaks.html

Weblink address (URL): 
Animal Adaptations: Focus on Bird Beaks

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives: 

Objectives: 

Students will:

  • Comprehend that birds have physically adapted in relation to their type of food supply.
  • Deduce what beaks are most efficient for given foods by experimenting with imitation beaks and given food sources.
  • Describe what will happen to a bird population if its environment could no longer support the bird's food source. 

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Applying

Helpful Hints

Materials:

Beaks: 

  • 2 eyedroppers
  • 1 pliers
  • 5 sets of chopsticks
  • 4 tweezers
  • 1 shoestring
  • 1 sponge
  • strip
  • 1 straw
  • 1 wrench
  • 2 slotted spoons
  • 1 strainer
  • 3 tongs
  • 1 envelope
  • 1 turkey skewer

Food: 

  • coloured water in a long narrow container 
  • gummy worms
  • sunflower seeds
  • styrofoam cubes
  • popped popcorn
  • rice
  • marshmallows
  • loose tea

Other: 

  • potting soil
  • shallow pans
  • 8 boxes
  • data tables for each student
  • 8 cups
  • vase or graduated cylinder
  • pictures of various birds with corresponding environment/habitat and food source 

References

Contributors: 
Rhilda Gastineau
Originator: 
Ayers Institute for Learning & Innovation