Students can explore local biodiversity with Backyard Bird Count

GUELPH – The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) is inviting students and educators to step outside and take part in the Backyard Bird Count, a hands-on learning experience that connects classrooms with the natural world.

The Backyard Bird Count encourages kindergarten through Grade 12 classes to observe, identify and record the birds they see in their local environment.

Whether in a schoolyard, nearby park or through a classroom window, students will have the opportunity to explore biodiversity right in their own communities, officials say.

School board officials add the initiative supports meaningful, curriculum-connected learning across multiple subject areas. 

Registered classes will receive access to grade-specific resources through the UGDSB sustainability hub, including:

– curriculum connections for math, science, social studies and more; 

– learning tied to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on climate action and life on land; 

– a digital species identification guide featuring birds, pollinators, leaves and animal tracks; and

– hands-on bird identification materials to support outdoor learning. 

The Backyard Bird Count also encourages students to think like scientists by collecting and sharing real-world data, officials stated in a press release.  

Student findings and classroom results will be showcased through the UGDSB sustainability hub, helping to build a shared understanding of local ecosystems across the board.

This is an opportunity for students to get outside, connect with nature and apply their learning in a real-world way, officials say. It’s simple, accessible, and a powerful way to build curiosity about the environment, they add.

Classes have until May 1 to register, and the initiative will run until May 30.