Birdhouse Building Project a Fun (and Educational) Assignment for Students

EASTFORD — It seems the third-grade class at Eastford Elementary School is full of ornithologists, engineers, scientists, and naturalists. On Tuesday, April 21, and Wednesday, April 22, Mrs. Bisson’s third-grade class, along with help from Mrs. Meade’s eighth-grade class, hosted Roger Wolfe from the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) — along with volunteers from the Congregational Church of Eastford, to construct birdhouses for the Eastern Bluebird. Students learned about the Eastern Bluebird, how to identify the male and female species, how to clean and maintain the birdhouse, and how to

swing a hammer. Third graders were able to take their birdhouses home to provide a safe, comfortable space for the birds in their own backyard.

Wolfe said he started this event years ago as an educational outreach for students while he was employed by CT DEEP. Raw wood is retrieved from a DEEP sawmill, and David Barlow cuts it into premade kits based on plans found at on the DEEP website here.

“Although they are pretty simple to put together, there are tips that need to be followed so that the box is put together securely, is functional, and ready for birds to start using,” Wolfe said. “Some of the kids have never handled a hammer before, so they learn some basic carpentry skills and have a nice box at the end to show for it.”

Courtesy photos