EDUCATION

Bird Fest school programming occurs in the week that immediately precedes Bird Fest weekend. It is part of a larger field day program for 3rd graders from Osborn Elementary School in Leavenworth and Vale Elementary School in Cashmere.  

Location:  The place of Bird Fest educational programming for school children is Barn Beach Reserve (BBR) in Leavenworth www.barnbeachreserve.org. BBR, located only blocks from downtown Leavenworth on nine acres of land adjacent to the Wenatchee River and the 40-acre Waterfront Park, is home to Wenatchee River Institute, the Upper Valley Historical Society, and Icicle Arts.  The Reserve is owned and operated by Wenatchee River Institute (WRI), a Leavenworth non-profit organization.  The mission of WRI is “to promote the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of the Greater Wenatchee Valley through educational programming and stewardship that bridges environment, arts, and cultural history.”

The main education building at the Reserve is “The Barn,” a multi-purpose “green” building that is a model of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.  The building provides space suitable for everything from science labs and art classes to lectures and multimedia presentations.

Purpose:  School programming at Wenatchee River Institute aims to connect children with nature and help combat “nature deficit disorder” by providing direct, hands-on learning experiences in the natural environment. 

Bird-Related Content: 

For several weeks prior to and following Bird Fest, elementary school children participate in the following activities:

• Introduction to field marks and field guides using bird skins—a partnership with Wenatchee Valley College

• Lessons from a specially-designed “Bird Fest kit” that teaches about bird beaks, feet, eyes, and wings

• Introduction to binoculars and a guided birding walk on the grounds of BBR

• Bird identification using analog (life-size, realistically-painted, wooden) birds placed in natural settings—a partnership with North Central Washington Audubon

On Bird Fest Thursday and Friday, 3rd graders did the following activities in 2011:

• Live bird presentation (owls, hawks, eagles, and other birds of prey) by an education team from Sarvey Wildlife Center in Arlington, Washington www.sarveywildlife.org.

• Lessons in bird behavior that include putting themselves in the roles of birds trying to find a mate and navigating the obstacles of migration

Education Staff:  The environmental science lessons are prepared and delivered by WRI educational professionals and trained adult volunteers.  To volunteer, please contact Jody Marquardt, WRI Education Coordinator, at 548-9362 - jmarquardt@wenatcheeriverinstitute.org or Ann Leach, Education Assistant at the same phone number or aleach@wenatcheeriverinstitute.org.