Bird species usually have a common English name and an accompanying Scientific name, but different peoples have their own names for birds, or they have adopted nicknames for them, which have ended up sticking. For example, ‘Herdsman’ is one of the Orkney terms for Great Skua.
Use this presentation to show the class, and see if they can guess the correct birds to their unusual local names
Play the name game: The class is shown images of seabirds, alongside their unmatched names from either Gaelic, Orkney, Shetland, or their scientific name. Can you pair each bird with the correct name?
Option A: (suitable for lower primary) Go outside and start to explore the wildlife in your school grounds. Then complete and record the John Muir Trust's ‘Act like a Victorian Explorer’ task from their Mission Explore: John Muir resource. Find a plant, fungi or other natural object of interest and devise your own name for it, just as the Victorian Explorers would have done upon discovering that object for the very first time.
Option B: (suitable for upper primary)
REMEMBER: to write your names on the paper, AND to include the bird’s real name in the shuffle.
OPTIONAL: Points. Points can be earned for the correct answer, or if someone else guesses your made-up answer.
An introduction to biosecurity and why it matters. Includes outdoor games
Researching seabirds including tasks, model building and games
How to help seabirds including games, treasure hunts and identifying tracks
Setting a design challenge and biodiversity action planning
Groups present and evaluate ideas including news-reading, games and writing
Spreading the word including stories, map activity and games