Construct A Nest
Materials:
•String
•Dried grass
•Twigs
•Scraps of paper
•ClothBirds´ nests are more than just straw baskets--they´re great engineering works. The weaver bird of Africa builds a spiraling, hanging nest with a special trapdoor. The albatross makes mud chimneys in which to lay its eggs. Storks make huge 6-foot nests on the roofs of houses in Europe, where they´re considered good luck. Your local birds may not make such exotic nests, but they´re no less wondrous.•When the leaves have fallen from the trees in your area, take a walk and see how many nests you can find. (Don´t confuse them with the ill-engineered nests of squirrels, which tend to be in the high forks of trees.) Perhaps you´ll find a nest that has fallen to the ground, or one that´s low enough to study.
•To appreciate the engineering feat, have your child try building a nest of his or her own, with twigs, string, dried grasses, scraps of paper, and cloth. Difficult, isn´t it? Just imagine trying to do it with your mouth!
