Note: Listening and Speaking section will be in Black and Reading and Writing section will be in Maroon colour.

The class begins with physical exercises and responding to directions given.

The topic ‘Birds’ will be reinforced through language games, experiential learning – A visit to the zoo, sight words and colouring are planned for the week to make learning enjoyable.

Listening and Speaking

Daily:

Total physical response/warm-up exercise (to be done before every session)

Note to the teacher: 
Refer to Week 1, Day 1 of the topic’s detailed asset.

Suggested variation – Once the children are familiar and at ease with the exercises (which has been done for the past two weeks), the following variations can be made to make the exercises interesting and topic related. The teacher can show the flashcards of the birds as they do the warm up exercises and the children will say the name of the birds aloud.
Example: As the teacher gives the command ‘Flap your hands’, he/she can show the flashcard of a hen. The children will say, ‘hen’ aloud. The teacher can use another flashcard for the next command.

Commands:
1. Flap your hands.
2. Nod your head left to right.
3. Say hello to your partner.
4. Stretch your hands above your head.
5. Wave your hands.
6. Flap your hands.
7. Stand straight.

Refer to the ‘TPR/Warm up exercise’ Adaptations and Strategies given in the Main page of ‘Birds’ if there are any neuro-diverse children in the class.

Day 1

Main Concept: Revision and closing session

• The teacher can explain how birds are useful to humans. 
• The teacher can close the session by reciting the rhyme on birds learnt in the earlier class. 
• The teacher shows the flashcards of birds as a revision of the topic.

Key knowledge the child will acquire: Children recognise and name the birds, also learn some characteristics of birds on how they look, where they live and what they eat.

Refer to the ‘LSRW’ Adaptations and Strategies given in the Main page of ‘Birds’ if there are any neuro-diverse children in the class.

Day 2

Memory game

Aim: Children familiarise themselves with names of birds through bird memory games.

Preparation:

1. The teacher will keep ready the necessary flashcards in two sets. (peacock, parrot, pigeon, sparrow, crow, duck)
2. This activity aims to improve memory skills and learn about different birds.
3. The flashcards of birds are placed on the table.
4. The teacher asks the children to listen carefully and pick up the picture of the birds and identify them.
5. The teacher can use embossed flashcards for the children with visual challenges. For the children with auditory challenges and speech challenges, the teacher can give an exemption from calling out the name.
6. All the children get a chance to come and participate in the game.

Procedure: 

1. Mix up the cards and lay them face down in rows.
2. The first player picks two cards and turns them over. If it is a matching card, the player calls the name of the bird aloud and all students repeat it.
3. If they do not match, that player turns those two cards back over in the same spot and that child’s turn is over.
4. The next player takes a turn flipping over two cards. 
5. If it is a match, that player says the name of the bird aloud. 
6. If it is not a match, the player turns the cards back over and the next child tries.
7. The game continues until all the matches have been discovered.

Note to the teacher: 

1. The teacher makes sure that all children get a chance to participate in this game.
2. Children should listen to the instructions carefully and follow the same.
3. Those who don’t maintain discipline lose the opportunity to play.
4. They sit down and observe other children playing silently.

Key knowledge the child will acquire: The children in the class are able to identify and name different birds.

Click and watch the video. This video is to be viewed by the teachers before the activity to understand how to conduct the activity during the class.

Video: Memory game – Birds – Coming soon

Refer to the ‘Activity’ Adaptations and Strategies given in the Main page of ‘Birds’ if there are any neuro-diverse children in the class.

Day 3

Experiential learning 1 – Bird walk

One of the best ways to learn about birds is to go looking for them. The teacher can plan to take children for a walk in and around the school. The teacher makes the children observe the birds, the way they fly, pick food, perch etc and discuss the same with the children, after they come back to class.

Refer to the ‘Activity’ Adaptations and Strategies given in the Main page of ‘Birds’ if there are any neuro-diverse children in the class.

Day 4

Experiential learning 2 – Make a bird bath

Children are encouraged by the teacher to make a bird bath at home and serve water in it to the birds daily. Children can have a small bowl of water placed on their balcony, in the garden and observe. Through this activity students learn to observe different bird’s species.

During the class: 

Children bring the ‘Bird bath’ prepared at home and explain how they prepared it, what materials they used, who helped them and how useful it was for the birds. 

The teacher can explain how a bird water bath gives the opportunity to observe the wonder of nature. The importance of caring for birds, especially from scorching heat, in summer can be explained. The teacher encourages children to have the water feeder both at home and school and later discusses with the children about different birds they have seen and how they drink water. 

Refer to the ‘Activity’ Adaptations and Strategies given in the Main page of ‘Birds’ if there are any neuro-diverse children in the class.

Day 5

Feathers and Straws – Matching activity

Materials required:

Multiple set of coloured straws and coloured feathers (grey/white – pigeons, black – crow, brown – sparrow, red/orange/yellow/green – parrot)

Procedure:

• The teacher shows the children the different coloured feathers and the coloured straws.
• While showing each coloured feather, the teacher shows the flashcard of the bird that it belongs to.
• The teacher then demonstrates to the children how to cut the straw to the length of the feathers. 
• The teacher makes the children sit in a small group, gives them one set of coloured feathers and straws and asks them to match it.
• Once the children are settled, the teacher shows the students the method to insert the same colored feather and the straws. 
• Children thread each coloured feather into the same coloured straw and then match the feather to the right bird flashcard.
• Children observe the different colours and the texture of the feathers.

Note to the teacher: 

• Children are encouraged to collect feathers from their surroundings.
• The teacher can ask children to observe the feathers and ask a few questions:
  1. Do all feathers look the same? 
  2. What shapes do they have? 
  3. How long is the longest feather? 
  4. How does it feel if you stroke one of your feathers against your hand? 
  5. Is it stiff or soft?

Key knowledge the child will acquire: Children will be able describe how the feathers they found look different from one another and that they serve different purposes.

Click and watch the video. This video is to be viewed by the teachers before the activity to understand how to conduct the same during the class.

Video: Feathers and Straws – Matching activity – Coming soon

Refer to the ‘Activity’ Adaptations and Strategies given in the Main page of ‘Birds’ if there are any neuro-diverse children in the class.

Reading and Writing

Main Concept – Naming words

Day 1: Introduce Bird Names

Content: Bird names – Peacock, Crow

Procedure:

• The teacher must keep the required flashcards ready.
• The teacher shows the flashcard of peacock to the students and reads out the word ‘peacock’. Students will repeat.
• The teacher may ask students to tell the name of the ‘peacock’ in their regional language. 
• Then, the teacher will show the next flashcard ‘crow’ and say it aloud. Students will repeat. Then, follow the same process as mentioned for ‘peacock’.
• The teacher then explains a few specific characteristics of these birds in English and the regional language and allow children to share their observations of these birds:
  • Peacocks have beautiful long feathers. 
    Peacocks dance when it rains. 
    Peacocks cannot fly very high.
  • Crows are seen all around us.
    Crows are black in colour.
    Crows caw.
    Crows can fly high. 
• Distribute the given colouring worksheet of peacock and crow.

Key knowledge the child will acquire: Students will learn to identify/read a few bird names and become familiar with a few characteristic features of these birds.

Worksheet: Colour the birds – Peacock and Crow – Coming soon

Worksheet: Colour the birds – Peacock and Crow (Enlarged) – Coming soon

Refer to the ‘LSRW’ and ‘See and Colour’ Adaptations and Strategies given in the Main page of ‘Birds’ if there are any neuro-diverse children in the class.

Day 2: Introduce Bird Names – Myna and Heron

Procedure: 

• The teacher must keep the required flashcards ready.
• The teacher shows the flashcard of myna to the students and reads out the word ‘myna’. Students will repeat the word ‘myna’.
• The teacher may ask students to tell the name of the ‘myna’ in their regional language. 
• Then the teacher will show the next flashcard ‘heron’ and say it aloud. Students will repeat. Then follow the same process as mentioned for ‘myna’.
• The teacher then explains a few specific characteristics of these birds in English and the regional language and allow children to share their observations of these birds:
  • Myna is a common bird in India. 
    Myna are small and have brown feathers.
    Myna have yellow beaks.
    Myna can fly very high.
  • Heron likes to eat fish.
    Herons have long legs.
    Herons like to stand in the water and catch fish with their long beak. 
    Herons can fly very high. 
• Distribute the given colouring worksheet of Myna and Heron.

Key knowledge the child will acquire: Students will learn to identify/read a few bird names and become familiar with a few characteristic features of these birds.

Worksheet: Colour the birds – Myna and Heron – Coming soon

Worksheet: Colour the birds – Myna and Heron (Enlarged) – Coming soon

Refer to the ‘LSRW’ and ‘See and Colour’ Adaptations and Strategies given in the Main page of ‘Birds’ if there are any neuro-diverse children in the class.

Day 3 and 4: Quiz – ‘Who am I?’ 

Content: Peacock, Crow, Myna, Heron

Procedure: 

• The teacher keeps ready the required ‘Birds’ flashcards and the characteristic features written on a paper. 
• The teacher will explain the process to the students that she/he will read some of the features of the birds and the students will have to guess which bird it is.
• When all the students have settled down, the teacher will start the quiz questions.
• Without showing the image of the birds, the teacher must read the characteristic features of one bird at a time.
• The students must guess the bird’s name.
• Students can keep guessing until they tell the correct answer.
• Finally, the teacher can show the picture of the particular bird whose characteristics she/he read out.
• Likewise, the teacher can ask the questions for the remaining birds as well.  
  • I have very beautiful long feathers. 
    I like to dance when it rains.
    I have a long blue neck.
    I cannot fly very high.
    Who am I?
    [Peacock]
  • I am a very common bird. You can see me all around.
    I am black in colour.
    I can fly very high.
    I say ‘Caw Caw’.
    Who am I?
    [Crow]
  • I am a common bird in India. 
    I am small and have brown feathers.
    I have a yellow beak.
    I can fly very high.
    Who am I?
    [Myna]
  • I like to eat fish.
    I have long legs.
    I like to stand in the water and catch fish with my long beak.
    I can fly very high. 
    Who am I?
    [Heron]

Note to the teacher: 

• Students must be allowed to make many guesses. 
• The teacher can make the quiz more interesting by giving some clues in regional languages too.
• Allow students to enjoy the guessing process.
• If it takes a long time, the teacher can play two ‘Who am I’ quiz on one day and the other two ‘Who am I’ quiz on the following day.

Key knowledge the child will acquire: Students will learn to identify and read a few bird names and become familiar with some of the characteristic features of these birds by playing this game. 

Click and watch the video. This video is to be viewed by the teachers before the activity to understand how to conduct the same during the class.

Video: Quiz – Who am I? – Coming soon

Refer to the flashcards ‘Types of birds’ given in Week 1 Day 1 of the Listening and Speaking section.

Refer to the ‘Activity’ Adaptations and Strategies given in the Main page of ‘Birds’ if there are any neuro-diverse children in the class.

Day 5: Match the bird names 

Procedure:

• The teacher will demonstrate the process of matching the bird with their names and then the teacher will distribute the worksheet. 
• The students will complete the matching and colour the birds beautifully.

Key knowledge the child will acquire: Students will learn to identify/read a few bird names and match them with the image of the bird correctly and colour the worksheet.

Worksheet: Match the bird names – Coming soon

Worksheet: Match the bird names (Enlarged) – Coming soon

Refer to the ‘LSRW’ and ‘See and colour’ Adaptations and Strategies given in the Main page of ‘Birds’ if there are any neuro-diverse children in the class.

Teacher Resource Document – Coming soon

Source and Attribution of images All images used in the above Assets and Aids are originally created.

This digital material has been developed by the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini Inclusive Education Project, a unit of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, as a collaborative offering in the service of our nation.