Taking Wing: Bird Research & Poetry in 2nd Grade

This week, I collaborated with our science teacher, Becky, to enrich her 2nd-grade students’ bird research project. Each student selected a specific bird to study, exploring its physical characteristics, habitats, diets, and behaviors.

Building Knowledge and Vocabulary

By investigating physical adaptations, such as beak shapes and feather types, students gained deep content knowledge and developed a sense of environmental stewardship. They spent weeks exploring biological concepts, such as life cycles and habitats, and developing descriptive vocabulary, including terms like “migrate,” “plumage,” and “talon.” Additionally, students learned to identify specific field marks and feather patterns.

Bridging Science and Creative Writing

As the students wrapped up their science studies, I offered to read some of my own bird poems to demonstrate how they could transform their research into creative writing. Becky and I envisioned this as a dynamic way to bridge scientific inquiry with creative writing, transforming our students into “poetic scientists.”

Crafting Poems

I started by gathering the students and reading my poetry aloud. We discussed the literary devices they noticed: alliteration, imagery, rhyme, rhythm, and onomatopoeia.  I also drew their attention to the structure of poetry—line breaks, stanzas, and arrangement on the page. I then challenged them to write a poem about their chosen bird, applying what they had learned from their research. Many students were already familiar with acrostic and haiku poetry. I encouraged them to leverage their research, incorporating specific information and new vocabulary to help their bird poems take flight. I was thrilled with the result; a relatively brief lesson generated many wonderful, vivid bird poems.