How to make a Tea Cup Bird Feeder

Creating bird feeders for the wild birds in your immediate area, is a great way for children to learn about wildlife, and to contribute to the wellbeing of wild animals. Children will learn to observe their behaviour, and their unique needs. It can be a great conversation starter about the importance of all living beings, and how each of us contributes to the environment. 

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Materials needed

• Tea cup and saucer
• Strong adhesive such as super glue (strictly to be handled by adult)
• Weather resistant string
• Bird seed
• Binoculars 

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How to

1. Apply super glue in a line from center of the saucer to the edge
2. Press the tea cup down on its side on the glue with the top of the cup pointing to the center of the saucer. Hold together for a few minutes
3. Leave to dry for 24 hours
4. Tie one end of your string to the handle of the cup
5. Add some bird seed mix to the cup and saucer
6. Tie the other end of your string to a sheltered branch outdoors

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Teaching Strategies

• Support children to record the different types of birds that come to your feeder. You could record how many, the types of birds, how long they feed for. Use video, photography, or keep a tally on paper
• Research the different types of food that birds like to eat
• Experiment with different types of food in the bird feeder based on your research and see if this influences which birds come to visit
• Provide children with clipboards, paper and pens to record and observe the birds
• Talk with children about what they see and hear
• Record the different sounds the birds make - see if children recognize these when played back later
• Provide children with art supplies to interpret what they see in a creative way
• Support children to have empathy for the birds, support them to understand that if they are quieter, the birds won’t fly away

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Possible learning outcomes

• Identifying different types of bird
• A developing understanding of the needs of wild animals
• Learning about the world and the way that birds are an important part of the planets ecosystem
• Research skills - observing, recording and reporting on data
• Developing empathy for animals
• A respect for the environment
• Curiosity of the natural world
• Skills to inquire into, research, explore and develop working theories about the natural world

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