Skip To Main Content

Students prepare for field trip with craft activity

Post RSS Feeds Subscribe to Post Alerts

Lisa Marino and Colin Johnson decided to have their students come together to build birdhouses as part of their summer classes with an upcoming trip planned to the Sharon Audubon Center in Sharon, Connecticut.

The Sharon Audubon Center has been connecting people with nature since being founded in 1961. The education center and nature sanctuary is 1,147 acres and features 11 miles of trails, museum and an Audubon Nature Store. Students and staff will have the opportunity to explore the different bird species of the region.

The activity and trip are part of the district’s summer programs.

Birdhouses 2

“I came up with the birdhouses because I knew we were going to Sharon Audubon,” said Marino. “The students enjoy the grounds and seeing the birds. I thought the birdhouses would be a nice fit. I think they loved assembling the birdhouses. I’ve never seen then so quiet, concentrating so hard and really get into the painting.”

Marino added, “I hope they’ll appreciate the Sharon Audubon Center a little more and all it has to offer. They’ll have a connection there and enjoy the property there.”

Birdhouses 3

Each student was given a kit to build a birdhouse. Once put together, students painted and placed stickers on their birdhouse.

“I think they like to build and do hands-on projects,” said Marino. “They’re engaged and they have fun.

“I want them to enjoy coming here, see their friends and do fun crafts. They have the motivation to get their schoolwork done because they want to do the crafts or go outside.”

Sophia Hoover used green paint for grass on the surface of the birdhouse, and red and yellow paint as stripes on the roof. She added flowers and stickers on the outside walls of the house.

“I think it came out well,” she said. “I knew I’d like it and it was fun.”

This is not the first project where Marino’s and Johnson’s students met in one classroom to work together. They recently built miniature bridges with toothpicks and marshmallows.

“It’s a nice chance that we can concentrate and reinforce previously taught skills, keep them engaged and build friendships, too,” said Marino of the summer programs.