During these straining times, the Willamette- Laja Twinning Partnership has created ways to support students, teachers, families, and partners. Maintaining our bi-national relationships is especially important right now. Due to the impact of COVID-19, we were unable to hold our spring field trips and exchanges as part of our “Aves Compartidas” youth program. Despite these challenges, we are committed to continuing our work together now and into the next school year.
One of the ways that we are connecting with youth and adults is through remote learning and educational videos. We are building a resource library for teachers, parents, and students. Over the past two months we have developed bilingual educational videos to share with elementary students in the Willamette and Laja basins. These videos teach students about nature, including birds, insects, plants, water, and ecosystems. The videos also engage students in activities that they can do at home or in their neighborhood, such as bird-watching, looking for pollinators, art projects, poetry, mindfulness, and movement. Our hope is to continue to support our communities in these ways and distribute videos via online teaching platforms, YouTube, and WhatsApp.
We are announcing the launch of our YouTube page, which will feature educational videos for children and adults! Our partners in both Mexico and in Oregon are working to make these videos.
We give special thanks to Niki Hobbs from Marys River Watershed Council, to Stacy Moore and Dionné Mejía from the Institute for Applied Ecology, and to Paola Rangel from Salvemos al Río Laja for putting together these videos! Our teamwork is empowering and will benefit our local communities.
Bilingual educational videos for kids (google drive links)
The birds of Talking Water Gardens
Animal inspired physical activity
Here are some activities related to nature for children and adults:
Organize an outdoor scavenger hunt! Here are some bingo cards for native and invasive plants, weeds, and birds.
Identify plants or animals in nature. Use a book or look online to identify birds, insects, butterflies, trees, and flowers in your local area. You can use a magnifying glass to look at insects or binoculars to look at birds if you have them. You can also listen to bird calls and use a website like xeno canto or download the Merlin bird ID app on your phone. You can use the Oregon wildflowers app to identify flowers in Oregon.
Start a collection. You can collect rocks or shells in your local neighborhood. You can also collect pictures of interesting plants and insects that you see and start a photography hobby.
Take a hike, ride your bike, or a walk around your neighborhood. You don’t have to go far to see something new or interesting. Check that the trails are open for walking in your city and keep your social distancing.
Make art projects. If it’s cold or raining outside you can still have fun at home. You can still make nature-inspired art. You can pick some leaves and do leaf rubbings, or sit at your window and draw what you see outside. You can even look up pictures of animals or plants you want to draw online. You can make a 3-dimensional origami bird or use clay or playdough to make a bird sculpture. You can collect rocks and paint them. Get creative!
Plant a garden! Buy some inexpensive seeds or starts at a local store or order seeds online. With just a few pots and a little soil you can plant flowers, herbs, or even a tomato plant!
Design a pollinator garden or native plant garden. This will provide habitat and attract native pollinators, insects, birds, and other animals to your garden.
If you have the time and resources, you can make a bird feeder. You can buy bird seed at your local pet store or grocery store and you can either buy or make bird feeders. You can paint recycled plastic bottles or other objects to make colorful bird feeders or bird baths.
Check out this blog for more activities for children related to birds and trees.
We wish you and your families all the best!
