Cornell Lab Activities

For bird-loving kids—or parents who secretly wish they were birdwatchers—the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s K–12 activities turn that interest into real science learning. Their site offers lesson plans, printable activities, and citizen science projects like eBird and Project FeederWatch that invite students to collect and submit real-world data. Developed by researchers and educators at Cornell, the materials weave together ecology, math, mapping, and observation skills in ways that work for classrooms and homeschools alike. Families appreciate that many resources are free, clearly labeled by grade band, and easy to plug into a nature study or biology unit. The main “cost” is time and perhaps a simple bird feeder or binoculars, but the payoff is a richer connection to local wildlife. Start with one project and a backyard bird guide so kids can quickly identify what they’re seeing.