Super Strigiformes: Owl Adaptations and Owl Prowl Adventure
Explore amazing adaptations of birds of the order Strigiformes (i.e. owls) and hoot like an owl. You get an optional owl prowl guide to plan and lead your family on an owl prowl adventure. Perfect for nature, outdoors, and zoology lovers!
Heather Gerth, M.S.
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(84)
What's included
1 live meeting
50 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
Who-hoo made that hoot? During this class, we will have a hoot learning how to make owl calls and exploring the adaptations that make owls stealthy, successful nocturnal hunters. We will use everyday objects to understand each of the following owl adaptations: camouflage, cryptic posture, superb hearing and eyesight, low wing loading ratio, feather fringes, and powerful talons and beaks. Students will leave class with an impressive new owl call or two and a deeper understanding of the adaptations that make owls so amazing. Students will also receive an “Owl Prowl Field Trip” instruction sheet (optional learning extension activity) that can be used as a family to go on an owl prowl. The instruction sheet will provide tips on ethical observation of live owls, links to resources for researching what owls live near you, a link to a free app you can use to find places where owls have been seen near you, and information about how to contribute your owl observations to a global citizen science project.
Learning Goals
By the end of the live Zoom meeting:
- students will understand how a taxonomic Order is used to classify organisms and will recognize that owls are grouped together in the order Strigiformes
- students will be able to discern which, among a group of animal traits, are considered adaptations, and they will be able to name and describe 4-8 adaptations of owls
- students will be able to recognize the 4 key components of habitat
- students will be able to demonstrate the calls of 1-3 owls
After completing the optional “Owl Prowl Field Trip” learning extension activity:
- students will be able to name 1 or more owls that can be observed in their area and will know the general habitat requirements of this/these owls.
- students will understand how to observe owls in the wild in an ethical and responsible way
- students will know how to contribute bird observations to eBird, a global citizen science project
Other Details
Language of Instruction
English
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
This curriculum was developed by the course instructor using the following sources for background research:
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (2019). All About Birds. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. https://www.allaboutbirds.org.
- Johnsgard, P. (2002). North American Owls: Biology and Natural History (2nd ed.). Smithsonian Institute.
- Johnsgard, P. A. (2002). North American owls : biology and natural history. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
- Long, K. (1998). Owls : a wildlife handbook. Boulder, Colo.: Johnson Books.
- Lynch, W. (2007). Owls of the United States and Canada: A Complete Guide to their Biology and Behavior. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press.
Joined August, 2020
5.0
84reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Science from University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Bachelor's Degree in Science from Bethel College
Heather is a published ecologist who has conducted field ecology research for more than a decade. She has done research in Costa Rica, Teton Mountain National Park, the Southern Appalachian Mountains, and in the Midwest. Her main research interests are birds and landscape ecology. Her undergraduate research project examined the effects of landscape composition and configuration on Barred Owl abundance. Heather is also an environmental educator and naturalist with over 20 years of experience teaching students of all ages through nature centers, schools, and Girl Scouts.Reviews
Live One-Time Class
$12
per classMeets once
50 min
Completed by 24 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 7-11
2-8 learners per class
