Aves Compartidas Willamette-Laja

An ecological education program for youth that connects students internationally and focuses on migratory birds and watersheds.

Visit our resource page for videos and virutal activities for kids!

Elementary school students in the Willamette River watershed in Oregon, USA and the Laja River watershed in Guanajuato, Mexico are learning about their shared birds and making cross-cultural connections through the shared language of Spanish. Students are caring for and protecting their local watershed for the sake of humans and other animals.

The 2019-2020 school year began with classrooms meeting virtually through the exchange of a video messages between sister classrooms. Each student was assigned an international pen pal and wrote a personalized letter introducing themselves and asking questions to get to know their new pal. Students will continue to write to one another about shared birds, wildlife, and plants that they encounter where they live. Participants will also have the opportunity for outdoor learning and field exploration in their local natural areas.

The program’s youngest participants, 1st through 3rd graders, are focusing on the relationships between hummingbirds and other pollinators with plants, with the rufous hummingbird as their shared bird. Our 4th graders are studying terrestrial birds and their unique characteristics and life cycles, with the yellow warbler and the black-throated gray warbler as their shared birds. The 5th and 6th graders are focusing on the importance of freshwater and protecting freshwater habitats, with the great blue heron as their shared bird.

We have a blended and adaptable curriculum, including Audubon de Mexico's program materials merged with Cornell Lab of Ornithology's International Birdsleuth curriculum. Each participating schools is unique and several have garden and applied watershed restoration opportunities for students. See our resources page for educational videos and curriculum.