Captain Planet Foundation welcomes a new generation of bird watchers! The Dakota Day Care Nursery School established an environmental awareness and appreciation project for 25 children in the form of a bird observation area near the Dorothy Wirth Nature Area. Teachers used a special bird watching curriculum throughout the year while students kept identification notes and observations in a special journal.

The children were responsible for checking and filling the bird feeders and birdbaths daily and keeping the area free from litter, as well as learning to identify the different types of birds that live in their area using binoculars and bird identification books.

Help came from special speakers from the University of Illinois Extension Service and the local Audubon Society. Towards the end of the project, the children learned how to establish their own backyard bird habitat, which included building their own birdhouses and feeders.

Through observation and responsibility, these children gained a new respect and understanding of birds and their habitat. This special project will be continued each year as a part of the general curriculum to help keep the kids actively involved in respecting and learning about the outdoors.