Home Sweet Home: Exploring Bird Nests

Science Grades 2nd Grade 2:07 Video
Print Lesson Plan Watch Video

Lesson Description

Discover what nests are made of and how birds build them! This lesson uses a fun video to teach about animal homes and the materials they use.

Video Resource

What Are Nests Made Of? | NATURE Nuggets

Nature on PBS

Duration: 2:07
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Nests are animal homes.
  • Birds use different materials to build nests.
  • Birds use their body parts to build nests.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify a nest as a type of animal home.
  • Students will be able to list three materials birds use to build nests.
  • Students will be able to describe how birds use their body parts to construct nests.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students, 'What is a nest? What kind of animal lives in a nest?' Discuss their initial thoughts and ideas. This frames the lesson and activates prior knowledge.
  • Video Viewing (5 mins)
    Play the YouTube video 'What Are Nests Made Of? | NATURE Nuggets'. Before playing, tell students to focus on, 'As you watch, look at how the bird builds its nest. Notice what body parts it uses.'
  • Post-Video Discussion (10 mins)
    After the video, facilitate a discussion using the following prompts: 'How did the bird build its nest? What body parts did it use? What else did you see?' Encourage students to share their observations and connect them to the initial discussion.
  • Nest Building Activity (15 mins)
    Have students use play dough and materials they collect from outside (grass, twigs, leaves) to build a nest. Remind them that the nest must be able to hold eggs. Encourage them to think about the properties of different materials and how they can be used to build a strong nest.
  • Wrap-up (5 mins)
    Review the key concepts of the lesson. Ask students to share what they learned about nests and bird behavior. Connect the lesson to the real world by asking them to observe nests in their own neighborhoods.

Interactive Exercises

  • Build a Nest
    Students use play dough and collected natural materials (twigs, grass, leaves) to construct a bird nest. They should consider the size, shape, and strength of the nest to ensure it can hold eggs.

Discussion Questions

  • Why do birds build nests?
  • What makes a good material for building a nest?
  • How is a bird's nest different from your home?

Skills Developed

  • Observation
  • Critical Thinking
  • Fine Motor Skills
  • Problem-solving

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What is a nest?

Correct Answer: A type of house for animals

Question 2:

What is something birds use to build nests?

Correct Answer: Grass

Question 3:

Which body part do birds use to help build their nests?

Correct Answer: Beaks

Question 4:

What do birds lay in their nests?

Correct Answer: Eggs

Question 5:

Where do birds usually build their nests?

Correct Answer: In trees or bushes

Question 6:

What kind of material feels soft and fluffy and birds use in nests?

Correct Answer: Feathers

Question 7:

What can a bird use to stick pieces of the nest together?

Correct Answer: Mud

Question 8:

What kind of nest did we watch the hummingbird build in the video?

Correct Answer: Small

Question 9:

Besides nests, where else can animals live?

Correct Answer: Dens

Question 10:

What does a nest need to be able to hold?

Correct Answer: Eggs

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

A bird builds a _______ to live in.

Correct Answer: nest

Question 2:

Birds use their _______ to carry things to build their nests.

Correct Answer: beaks

Question 3:

________, grass, and twigs are all things used to build nests.

Correct Answer: mud

Question 4:

A bird's nest is its _______.

Correct Answer: home

Question 5:

Birds lay ________ in their nests.

Correct Answer: eggs

Question 6:

We can use ______ dough to practice building nests.

Correct Answer: play

Question 7:

Birds find materials like twigs and grass _________.

Correct Answer: outside

Question 8:

A nest needs to be _____ so the eggs don't fall out.

Correct Answer: strong

Question 9:

The hummingbird in the video was building a _______ nest.

Correct Answer: small

Question 10:

_______ help birds find the right materials to build a nest.

Correct Answer: instincts

Educational Standards

2.LS4.1:[Standard] Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats. 2.PS1.1:[Standard] Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties. 2.LS2.2:[Standard] Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.*

Teaching Materials

Download ready-to-use materials for this lesson:

Student Worksheet Classroom Slides Assessment Quiz
Add to Google Classroom

User Actions

Sign in to save this lesson plan to your favorites.

Sign In

Share This Lesson

Related Lesson Plans