Skip To Main Content
No post to display.

header-top

header-navigation-container

header-navigation-top

search-toggle-container

Park Avenue students turn oranges into bird feeders for cultural project

A group of children, bundled up in winter clothing, standing together in front of a brick building with trees in the background.

Park Avenue students in Suesette White's kindergarten class and Shannon Kennedy's third grade class collaborated on a cultural lesson that combined world tradition, teamwork, and skill-building!

The older students visited their "kinder buddies" classroom to create Norwegian-inspired orange bird feeders. First, the students got a quick lesson on geogrpahy (They located Norway on a map and globe.) and some cultural facts about Norway (Did you know parts of Norway have polar bears, and that their police don't carry guns?). Then, they learned about the Norwegian tradition called "Julenek," where families place food out for birds during the holiday season to bring good luck and show care for nature during winter's darkest days. The students learned how farming communities historically shared their harvest with birds as an act of kindness, believing it would ensure a bountiful year ahead.

The tradition -- and the lesson -- teach a respect for nature, by caring for wildlife.

See a gallery of pictures from this activity below this story!

Using a modern adaptation of this centuries-old practice, students made simple yet beautiful bird feeders from orange halves, dowel rods and twine. They will be filling them with birdseed at home and hanging them out for the birds. The lesson brought an ancient Scandinavian custom to life for the students, many of whom enjoyed talking about the birds they see around their houses while they worked.

Two young girls are sitting at a table, engaged in an activity that appears to involve food or snacks. The background suggests a classroom or educational setting, with posters and other materials visible on the walls.

For the kindergarteners, the activity provided an excellent opportunity to develop fine motor skills. Following along with their third grade buddies, the students scooped out orange pulp using spoons and forks, then carefully poked dowels through the peels in an X pattern, and then tying and looping twine around the dowels to create a hangar. Each step called for precise movements, and the students did a fantastic job. The third graders, while also learning new information, served as peer mentors, demonstrating each step and offering assistance and encouragement. This cross-grade collaboration is the kind of classroom activity that fosters leadership skills in the older students while giving the kindergarteners supportive role models to look up to, highlighting the value of peer learning, even at the elementary level!

To wrap up the lesson, the kindergartners went out in front of Park Avenue and hung one of their feeders in the bush near the school sign! They'll definitely be keeping an eye out to see what types of birds come to dine on their kindness. 

Two young students, a boy and a girl, are sitting at a table in a classroom setting, engaged in an activity involving peeling and eating oranges.
Two young children, a girl and a boy, are sitting at a table in what appears to be a classroom or daycare setting. They are engaged in an activity, with plates and other items on the table in front of them.
Two young girls are sitting at a table in a classroom setting, decorating cupcakes with colorful frosting and sprinkles.
Two young girls sitting at a kitchen table, one decorating a cupcake while the other watches intently.
A young girl in a pink sweater is preparing food on a table, while other children are visible in the background.
A young boy in a beige shirt is sitting at a table, focused on the food in front of him, while other children are visible in the background of the classroom setting.
A group of young girls, some with long hair and others with shorter styles, are gathered around a table, engaged in an activity that appears to involve arts and crafts materials.
A group of children and an adult are engaged in a hands-on activity, working with various materials and tools on a table in a colorful classroom setting.
A group of children sitting at a table, engaged in an activity involving food and crafts, with a classroom setting visible in the background.
Two young students, one wearing a black jacket and the other a gray hoodie, are working on a project together at a table in a classroom setting with educational posters and materials visible in the background.
Two young boys are working on an art project together, with various art supplies and materials visible in the classroom setting around them.
The image shows three children, two girls and one boy, engaged in a classroom activity, with various educational materials and decorations visible in the background.
Two young girls are sitting at a table, engaged in an activity that appears to involve food or snacks. The background suggests a classroom or educational setting, with posters and other materials visible on the walls.
Two young students, a boy and a girl, are sitting at a table in what appears to be a classroom setting. The girl is handling some orange objects, likely preparing a snack or activity, while the boy observes her actions.
A woman in a burgundy coat is assisting a young boy in a blue hoodie, who appears to be selecting something from a red container in what looks like a classroom or library setting.
A young girl with long brown hair is holding a bright orange slice in front of her face, standing in a colorful and organized classroom environment.
A young girl in a red Spider-Man hoodie is smiling and holding up a small object in a classroom setting with various educational materials and displays visible in the background.
A young child in a classroom setting is holding up a clear plastic bag containing various objects, with other students and a teacher visible in the background.
A group of children, bundled up in winter clothing, standing together in front of a brick building with trees in the background.
A group of people, bundled up in winter coats, are gathered around a bare tree adorned with colorful ribbons and decorations, set against the backdrop of a brick building.