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Birds and Blooms

Activity

Exploring Birds' Relationship with Food Sources

Head to the pollinator garden on a warm day and look for native flowers like standing cypress and trumpet vine that attract hummingbirds. Pay attention to the colors and shapes of the flowers—what do they have in common? Then, visit the bird feeder, who’s eating? Are they eating seeds, nectar, or something else? As you explore, notice the types of birds and insects you find at both the flowers and the feeder, and compare how they interact with different sources of food in the garden.
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Science Seed

Hummingbirds are drawn to flowers like trumpet vine and standing cypress because of their bright orange/red colors and tubular shapes, which are perfect for feeding on nectar. The long, narrow shape of these flowers fits the hummingbird’s long beak and tongue, allowing them to easily reach the nectar deep inside. These flowers also attract insects like butterflies, which are drawn to their bright colors and flat surfaces for easy landing. A hummingbird feeder, typically filled with a sugar-water mixture, mimics the nectar found in these flowers and is liked by both hummingbirds and butterflies. Hummingbirds use their long beaks to sip nectar, while butterflies use their proboscis, a straw-like mouthpart, to drink. Both types of feeders provide important food sources, showing how different creatures, with different feeding methods, are attracted to the same flowers or feeders.
botany jar illustration

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore Sanchez Elementary

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

Sánchez Elementary School is close to downtown on Austin’s east side. Built in 1976, the campus boasts murals by Raul Valdez depicting the school’s Hispanic history and heritage. Sánchez was one of the district’s first to introduce two-way dual language education- fitting because the school’s namesake, George Sánchez, was a pioneer in bilingual education. This project was made possible by HEB.

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