the first time ever, details about the lives of endangered, now-wild
birds are known to us — all because they began life in captivity
and have been closely watched since hatching. Each bird is a fascinating
individual. Meet the flock by reading each chick's bio
page on Journey North.
life stories, updated throughout each bird's lifetime.
Explore with the "Getting
to Know You" activities
below. You'll be amazed!
Choose a chick as your Star of the Week. Invite students to read the
crane's bio-page individually or in small groups. Share responses to
the fascinating facts and exciting experiences revealed in the chick's
biography. Collect all the bio-pages in a three-ring binder for students
to explore during independent reading times. After several weeks, encourage
students to create a chart that compares and contrasts the cranes.
Am I?" Research Riddles
Use facts and details from the chick bio-pages to write "Who am
I?" riddles to challenge students' research skills. Have them work
alone or with a partner to read through the crane biography pages to
solve the riddle and then create their own. (Be sure the riddles contain
clues to guide students to the right hatch year to aid their research.)
male from the Class of 2001 was removed from the wild flock and
went to live in captivity at age 9 because he kept visiting a captive
female on public display at Florida's Homosassa Wildlife State
HY2008 male was the first chick ever removed from the ultralight-led
cohort of chicks because he was dangerous to the other chicks.
HY2007 chick dropped out of a flight and was lost for six long
days on its first journey south.
male from hatch year 2003 did not make his first successful spring
return to Wisconsin until 2007, his fourth year of migrating! Where
did he go instead?
hatch-year 2004 male convinced wandering female #309 to migrate
back to Wisconsin (instead of New York!) in spring
2008 for the first time in her life. Did they stay paired?
female from HY2001 has always been a loner. (Do you think she will
ever raise a chick?)
kids learn about the cranes, they can write single quiz questions
on cards (include the answers) to store in a special container.
Draw a card during spare moments (when waiting in line, etc.)
to quiz the class. Related activity: Craniac
is so unusual (and great!) about the fall 2007 migrations of DAR
627 and Dar
hatch year of ultralight-led cranes has the most surviving birds?
are two big differences between the new Eastern flock and the original
Up With Me? Letter from a Crane
Students choose a crane and read its life story
on the bio-page. Then they write a letter from their crane's viewpoint
to tell what's new in its life, or to sum up big events. Invite
them to read letters
Each fall, Journey South follows the first migration
of the Eastern flock's newest chicks raised to follow the ultralight
planes to learn their
migration route. Everyone can read about the new chicks and pick one
to keep track of during that first journey south. Invite
them to make a scrapbook to document and share their chick's story. Students
track of "their" chick's lifetime progress by checking back to our
bio pages in the future.