If you sit very quietly at a window, you might see some garden birds. There are two RSPB resources that can help you with this: the online bird identifier and the bird spotter worksheet.
Put a timer on for 10 minutes and then place a tick next to each bird you see. Can you do this three times in the same day? We suggest first thing in the morning, around lunchtime and then in the afternoon when school might usually end.
If you would like to extend this task, you could draw a bar chart to show the most common birds in your garden. We did this activity for 3 different days in the week, and then compared our bar charts.
To draw a bar chart, you might want to watch this video or use this template.
Its raining here today and the data suggest it might be in lots of parts of the country. A great day to hunt for worms! In case you want to stay inside, during the rain, here is a simple activity you might enjoy (it will also help with our activity on Thursday!
You will need: A toilet roll or a pine cone, peanut butter (or any other nut butter or just butter if you have an allergy), bird seed (or some seeds). A sharp pencil or a hole punch. Some string.
Make a hole in both sides of the toilet roll either using a sharp pencil or a hole punch. Spread the butter/nut butter onto the toilet roll or use a spoon to scrape it into the pine cone. Roll the toilet roll/pine cone in bird seed. Thread some string through the hole or wrap it around the pine cone.
Tie it up in your garden where birds will feel safe eating, you can even hang it up on your window if you don't have an outdoor space.
You will need:
A large tray (or washing up bowl), some water, grass, flowers or mud! An old white or cream t-shirt/vest/top. Some string. A saucepan, some salt (1/4 cup). A hammer or food processor.
Cut 3 long pieces of string. Screw your top into a ball and use the 3 pieces of string to tie it up. Tie it as tightly as you can.
Pop your top into a saucepan and cover with water. Now add 1/4 cup of salt (or vinegar) and simmer on a low heat for 1 hour. You might ask a grown up to keep an eye on it for you so that you can get on with the other tasks!
Now collect some flowers (or raid the cupboards!). We have some suggestions:
Blue: Grape hyacinths
Yellow: Dandelions and/or daffodils (or tumeric)
Red: Lavender or avocado skins
Green: grass, spinach or green seaweed
Grey: Blackberries
Put your finds into a bowl (you need to try to have the bowl at least 1/3 full) and then bash with a hammer (or pop into a food processor). Cover with water (about double the amount of the flowers/fruit/finds) in a saucepan and boil for about 40 mins (just enough time to have a good play!).
Now you've done the hard work and its time for the good part! Pop the flower liquid into a bowl (outside is better as it will cool down faster!). Take out the top from the other saucepan and rinse it under cold water. The ring it out. Take it to the bowl outside and give it a good stir. Then leave overnight.
Take it out and leave to dry in the sunshine (or you can ask a grown up to dry it on a plate in the microwave for 2 mins and then pop it over the top of a towel on a radiator).
Thursday's activity will always be one you can do inside.
You will need: A plastic see through bottle, a marker pen to write on the bottle, a ruler, a pair of scissors, a few stones.
- Place your bottle on the table and collect the scissors.
- Ask your grown up to cut the top off the bottle, or check with your grown up that they are happy for you to do this yourself.
- Place some stones in the bottom of the bottle (these will help weigh the bottle down and stop it blowing over).
- Draw a line at the top point of the stones. Write 0 next to it.
- Use a ruler hold it up vertically to the side of the bottle.
- Measuring from 0, draw a line each at each cm up to the top of the bottle (from 1-10 cm. 0 starts at the bottom and 10 goes at the top point.)
- Pour water into the bottle until it reaches the bottom of the stones/point 0.
- Put your rain gauge outside where it can collect water when it starts raining.
You can use this weather worksheet from Twinkl to track the amount of rain each day when the weather changes!
Don't forget to mail us with your rain measurements at the next rainfall - we will post up all the different areas so you can compare.
