This is a versatile activity that may be used to introduce the topic of nesting to your students.

Materials needed:
2-12 oz of chocolate chilp morsles
2 cans Chinese Chow Mein noodles or stick pretzels
Double boiler or microwave
spoon
wax paper cut into 6x6 squares (one per nest) or small bowls (one per nest)

field guides

Best season: Spring

Engage

Go on a short nature walk in the Spring. Look for birds' nests in the trees.  Are they all the same?  How many different types of nests do you see?

Explore

Back in the classroom, make edible nests. Divide the noodles/pretzels amongst the students.  The amount of chocolate chip morsels and noodles needed will depend on the number of students and the size of the nests to be built. A general rule of thumb- 12 ounces of morsels and one can of chow mein noodles should build 10 nests (understanding some sticks may be eaten along the way).  Melt morsels in the top of the double boiler or microwave. Add chow mein noodles (or pretzels), coating
noodles evenly. Spoon small amounts of coated noodles into individual bowls OR on the wax paper.  Depending on the eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills of your students, you may want to let them use the bowl to build the nest within (easier) OR have them build the nest on the wax paper, placed on a flat
surface (harder). Work must be done quickly, before the chocolate hardens.

While you are making the nests, talk about the kinds of nests you saw in the field.  What kinds of birds would use each nest type?  What kinds of birds would use these chocolate nests?

The finished product is an edible nest! Enjoy! A scoop of ice cream in the center would make this a special treat.

Explain

Birds' nests are used as a means to keep eggs and babies safe and are not usually full-time homes.  There are several types of nests used by birds, including "cup" nests, scrapes, floating nests, and cavities.  Distribute some field guides to the students.  Have them work in groups to identify a list of different types of nests and the types of birds that would use them.

Elaborate

Go back to the nests you saw on your nature hike.  What birds use them?  Establish a plan to monitor the types of birds that use the nests as the weather warms.  Determine how often the nests should be monitored and what kinds of information should be collected.  Also determine how the nests might be monitored so the birds are not distrubed.  At the end of the season, look at the data you collected.  How might data like this be used to help birds?

Evaluate

Students present their monitoring data as a poster presentation, similar to what a scientist might present at a conference.  It should have the following sections:

Introduction: What is the poster about?  Who is the poster presenter?  What were you studying?  What is the purpose of the study?

Methods: In what way was the subject of study studied?  What precautions were made to ensure that the researchers did not alter the behavior of the subject?

Results: What did you discover?

Discussion: Were there any things that you learned in the study that were surprising?  What did you learn about animal behavior?  Did you learn anything about yourself, or about the nature of science?  What should people who wish to do this project know before they try it?