Owl Pellets

OWL PELLETS

The 6th grade ELA classes will be reading the novel, Hoot, which revolves around endangered owls. The students will dissect owl pellets as an enrichment activity to supplement the novel. This hands-on activity will allow the children to explore what owls eat, and allow them to infer what habitat owl’s need and what struggles they face in today's society.

Putting owl pellets in front of the students will bring the abstract concepts in the novel to the children, which will enhance their reading experience thereby increasing their sense of wonder of the world around them.

The children will be dissecting owl pellets, identifying their discoveries, and making connections to the novel, Hoot. This will be a hands-on activity in the ELA classroom. Parallels will be drawn between owls in the novel, our research, and what is discovered in the owl pellets. Students will sketch and write about their discoveries.

Dissecting owl pellets is not something the students encounter elsewhere at RMS. This experience is something they will always remember, which is what we strive for when creating exceptional educational experiences. Most students have never seen an owl pellet and will be amazed!

Progress to Goals

The 6th grade ELA classes read the novel, Hoot, which revolves around endangered owls. We then dissected owl pellets as an enrichment activity to supplement the novel. This hands-on activity allowed the children to explore what owls eat, and allow them to infer what habitat owl’s need and why they need it.

Students Served

Progress to Goals

Most of the 294 RMS 6th grade students participated in this hands-on class activity on Friday, March 22, 2024. Every English/language arts teacher conducted the hands-on exploration in class. The number of students includes 6th grade English language learners, special education, and general education students attending Riverside Middle School. The project was introduced after completing a novel in which children fought to save nesting pairs of burrowing owls, and just before the Riverside students began their own endangered species research. The students worked with a partner(s) to dissect an owl pellet and identify the type of bones, animals, and number of animals eaten by a barn owl. They were given gloves, toothpicks, tweezers, paper towel, and a bone chart to aid them in the dissection. This awesome activity was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended school that day! It was wonderful to see the kids so engaged and excited to explore.

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

Everything went quite well! If we did it again I would get better fitting gloves and hand sanitizer, but otherwise it was absolutely amazing! I did not expect the impact the activity had on some of the kids. Throughout the day the comments I heard were truly surprising, but in a good way. Some of the kids said it made them want to be doctors because they liked looking at the bones and identifying them. Another child said he wished it wasn't Spring Break because he wanted to stay in school. That is not something I think I've ever heard in my 20+ years teaching here. A child that is having so much fun he doesn't want to go home is my mic drop as to the success of this activity! I don't think I would change a thing if we did it again. Maybe bigger owl pellets to increase the fun?

Stories

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

The kids were so excited! Some were disgusted. We explained that is was completely optional and no one had to touch the pellets if they didn't want to...not one child opted out, and many asked for another. After the initial squealing (the boys), they were so committed to investigating their pellets, shouting out their findings, inferring what bones/animals they had, asking questions about the owl's ecosystem, and reconstructing their skeletons the time flew by. It was so rewarding to see the kids so invested in learning. It made many of them think about their futures, and what they want to do with them. One group used surgical precisions and meticulousness to get each bone out without breaking it. Another group was fixated on the teeth and the story they told. So cool!

MESSAGE FROM The TEACHER

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! It was so rewarding to see the awe and excitement on the kids' faces! This was such an awesome day! They learned so much, had a great time, and made lifelong memories!

We are so grateful for your support of our enrichment activity. It was one of the highlights of our school year, and the kids got so much out of it. It was such a rewarding experience for all involved. Thank you so much for allowing us to enhance our children's love of learning in such a cool and exciting manner. We had so much fun and it really brought the novel to life for so many of us that have never seen an actual owl. Hands-on activities are always class favorites, but so often we don't have the funds available to us. Your support is so very appreciated and put to great use.

Crestwood Community Education Foundation

kids testimonials

OWL PELLETS

Progress to Goals

Progress to Goals

Progress to Goals

Students Served

Progress to Goals

Progress to Goals

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

Stories

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

Photo Gallery

MESSAGE FROM The TEACHER

kids testimonials

OWL PELLETS

Progress to Goals

Progress to Goals

Progress to Goals

Students Served

Progress to Goals

Progress to Goals

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

Stories

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

Challenges - Lessons Learned - Changes

Photo Gallery

MESSAGE FROM The TEACHER

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