Creative Classroom: Nests

After being inspired by this nest post on Kleas and Jennifer Ward's book I Love Dirt!, I knew that our class had to make nests to wrap up our egg unit. Allow me to share with you the creativity, critical thinking, and beauty that occurred in our classroom today.
We began by looking closely at actual bird nests. We talked about materials, how they felt, how they looked. We also read some books that discussed nests and how birds make them.
Next, we talked about what materials we would use. I thought it was important to use materials that are both organic and useful to birds in nest making. I also refreshed their memory on weaving.
Materials used: sticks, leaves, various grasses and vines, string, yarn, wool roving, cotton balls, paper straws, tissues, paper egg cartons, fabric scraps, and plastic mesh bags (this was the only non-organic material).
Materials not used: glue, tape, drawing materials, pipe cleaners, mud, staplers, or syrup (a request from one student). Scissors were used to trim fabric and yarn. Figuring out how to make a nest without conventional "sticky stuff" was hard for some.
Each nest is a unique piece of art. They may be hung in a garden so that birds might find some new treasures or home. What a perfect end to a rather hectic day!