Cuckoo!
Primary Resource Pack – by Caroline Leather
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Primary resources
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Subject areas
There are six suggested subject areas for this song:
•ECL: Understanding English, communication and languages; Seasons Poetry
•M: Mathematical understanding; Measuring time: calendar work
•S/T: Scientific and Technological understanding; Birds and migration
• H/G/S: Historical, geographical and social understanding; How climate around the world affects migration
•P/D/H/W: Understanding physical development, health and well being; Care of birdlife
•A: Understanding the arts; Bird art
Understanding English, communication and languages
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-the-cuckoo/
William Wordsworth, among others, wrote a poem about cuckoos. Read, compare and contrast the poems.
Have a group discussion and decide on a class favourite. Why might poets choose to write about cuckoos?
To talk effectively as members of a group, pupils should be taught to:
•Make contributions relevant to the poetry and take turns in discussion
•Vary contributions, including exploratory and tentative comments where ideas are being collected together,
and reasoned, evaluative comments as discussion moves to conclusions or actions
•Qualify or justify what they think after listening to others’ questions or accounts
•Deal politely with opposing points of view and enable discussion to move on
Having studied birds and migration, choose a bird and write a poem to celebrate your choice.
Mathematical understanding
The person who wrote the lyrics used in this song, Jane Taylor, has chosen to write about the cuckoo
during the months of April, May, June, July and August. Primary Resources have heaps of ideas relating
to work on calendars. Depending on the age of the pupils, the children might need to learn the names
and order of the months of the year or more extensive word problems relating to the calendar might be the
order of the day.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/mathsE2.htm
If some practise with telling the time using an analogue clock can be squeezed in, too, so much the
better.
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Primary resources
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Scientific and Technological understanding
A visit to a bird sanctuary such as Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust will be a fabulous introduction
to inspiring the children with birds and bird migration.
Pupils should be taught that the life processes common to animals include nutrition, movement, growth
and reproduction. They should make links between life processes in birds and the environments in
which they are found. They should know about the need for food for activity and growth, and about the
importance of an adequate and varied diet for health. Bird skeletons and muscles to support and protect
their bodies and to help them to move can be studied in relation to bird migration.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/youth/learn/migration/whichbirds/index.aspx
Make a bird feeder and find out about RSPB for kids.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/youth/makeanddo/activities/birdcake.aspx
Historical, Geographical and Social understanding
For the past 20 years, the climate in Europe has been getting warmer. Species of birds which thrive
in cool temperatures therefore need to move further north. However, they have difficulty adapting to
the warmer climate quickly enough, as shown by new research published in the journal Nature Climate
Change. Find out about bird migration and how it has changed. Is it possible to predict the next 20 years?
Use the internet, information from libraries, RSPB and birdlife centres to produce a project on migration.
Present data on spreadsheets. Graphs could be produced using excel.
http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking
Understanding physical development, health and well being
Not only are birds a vital part of our ecosystem, but they are a great source of well being to many people.
Closely linked with wildlife conservation and environmental awareness, bird watching or birding has grown
increasingly popular.
As a means of connecting with nature and the changing seasons, children will find bird watching to be a
relaxing hobby which can be combined with activities such as walking and photography.
There are plenty of bird-watching societies, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
(RSPB), where children can meet up with fellow enthusiasts. Most bird watchers are happy to share their
knowledge and may help you to learn how to recognise birds by their distinctive songs and calls.
Understanding the Arts
http://www.art.co.uk/gallery/id--b13057/cuckoo-prints.htm?RFID=814175&domain=co_uk&keyword=Prints+Cuc
koo&KWID=928492861&CTID=1577839314
Make a collage of some of these beautiful prints. Try drawing and painting exquisite pictures of birds –
especially cuckoos!
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Primary resources
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Short-term targets Please see ‘Friday Afernoons Key.docx’. This is a separate document and is included as part of the
‘Cuckoo!’ Resource Pack folder.
MEDIUM-term targets
Cuckoo
Subject
Friday Afternoons
Year:
Teaching
Term:
Outcome
ECL
Seasons Poetry
Poem
M
Measuring Time: Calendar
Calendar
S/T
Birds and migra�on
Visit a bird sanctuary Learning
Success Criteria
Read poetry and write and perform a seasonal poem
Understand how to use a calendar. Solve related problems
Know about bird migra�on. Make a bird feeder
H/G/S
How climate around the world affects migra�on
Research project
Find out about bird migra�on
ICT
Search engines, word processing and Excel Research project
Find out about bird migra�on and present data on spreadsheets
P/D/H/W
Care of birdlife
Birdwatch
Understand the importance of birds to the ecosystem
A
Study bird ar�sts. Observa�onal drawing.
Bird art
Observe carefully to draw and paint birds
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Primary resources
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Long-term targets
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