Flight School

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Originally appears in the Fall 2019 issue.

By Kathy Fuller

Many of us have watched scenes in movies or even television commercials where birds have flown into glass. While these scenes may appear humorous, the reality is that glass collisions remove otherwise healthy birds of almost all species from the environment. It is estimated that one billion birds die from building collisions in the United States annually.¹ While the issue can be overwhelming, the good news is that there is a simple solution whereby third- to fifth-grade students can be the collective driving force. By combining science, math, art, reading, writing, and even engineering practices, students can identify school-based hazards to birds before creating and implementing a plan to modify the glass on their school buildings to protect local species of migratory birds. If the project is successfully executed, students may feel empowered by making a change in their own school or community, thus encouraging the practice of taking action to make a difference in issues that are important to students and beneficial for the environment.