Wild Wings by Gill Lewis. 2011.

Flight from Gambia to Scotland

Inspiration Book:

Wild wings by Lewis, Gill — Atheneum Books for Young Readers, c2011 p2012 -Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 4.3. Callum becomes friends with Iona, a practically feral classmate who has discovered an osprey, thought to be gone from Scotland, on Callum's family farm, and they eventually share the secret with others, including Jeneba who encounters the same bird at her home in Gambia. 

Rationale (actually a little library philosophy): Annually in the fall, the fourth graders in my school do a unit based on Owls in the Family  or There’s an Owl in the Shower. Sometimes the fourth grade skips this book study and we do the birds of prey unit when the fifth grade reads Hoot instead. The library portion of the unit involves their first research project of the year about birds of prey or owls. Over the years I have collected books similar in format about birds of prey at a slightly easier reading level for our research project. I will soon have enough different titles to allow each student to have two books about his/her bird, and then, I can add a comparison twist to the research. 

I read a picture book about a bird of prey to begin the lesson, and have all the nonfiction books on display. The next step is having the students select their bird from the collection on display. Who gets to choose first may be determined by birthday month, birthday date, alphabetical order of first or last name, or strugglers choose first. Even before I tell them what the research project is going to be, they read their non-fiction book before the next library class. I have found that students will read their books when they choose the topic and are given some time in class. Then, the next time we meet we go through the research process. 

When doing a research project with a class, we arrange to have the class come to the library two or three times a week  for two or three weeks. Having a modified flexible schedule provides the time needed. I have found that in schools with one or two sections of each grade it is possible to have a modified flexible schedule. In larger schools students in grades K-2 have a set weekly schedule while the other grades have a modified flexible schedule. It is also helpful not to have every section of a class doing the very same research project at the same time.

Idea: For this particular book, read Wild Wings aloud to begin the next grade (5th) the year after the research project and thus, bridge two grades. Use some of the links below to share while you or the teacher read aloud. Or you may also want to use Belle’s Journey : an Osprey Takes Flight, a NSTA Outstanding Trade Book for 2019. Belle may have its own entry at some time as a spin-off of the 4th grade research.

Author Link

Gill Lewis personal website: http://www.gilllewis.com/

Wildlife links

RSPB website - www.rspb.org.uk

Highland Foundation for Wildlife - www.roydennis.org

Rutland Water Project - www.ospreys.org.uk

Scottish Wildlife Trust - www.swt.org.uk

Lake District Osprey project - www.ospreywatch.co.uk

North America - www.osprey.com

Other Titles for Booktalking, Display, and/or Check-out:

Grades 3-6:

Saving birds : heroes around the world by Salmansohn, Pete, 1947- — Tilbury House, 2003--333.95; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.2. Profiles adults and children working in six habitats around the world to save wild birds, some of which are on the brink of extinction. 

Threat to the whooping crane by Harkins, Susan Sales — Mitchell Lane Pub., 2009--598.3; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 4.9. Describes the life and habitat of the whooping crane, and focuses on the environmental efforts being taken in order to protect and preserve this endangered animal. 

Owls in the family by Mowat, Farley — Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, c1961 p1996--Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 5.0. A young boy decides to raise two owlets as pets. Wol and Weeps provide fun and excitement for the boy in Saskatoon. 

There's an owl in the shower by George, Jean Craighead, 1919- — HarperTrophy, c1995 p1997---Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 5.5. Laws protecting the spotted owls in the old growth forest of northern California cost Borden's father his logging job. Angry, Borden vows to kill any spotted owl he sees, but has a change of heart when he and his father find themselves taking care of a young owlet. 

Faith, hope, and Ivy June by Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds — Delacorte Press, 2009--Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 5.8. During a student exchange program, seventh-graders Ivy June and Catherine share their lives, homes, and communities, and find that although their lifestyles are total opposites they have a lot in common. 

Belle's journey : an osprey takes flight by Bierregaard, Richard O — Charlesbridge, 2018. 598.9; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.3. Tracks the migration of an osprey named Belle who is born in Martha's Vineyard, learns to fly, and goes on an eight thousand mile journey to Brazil.

Snowy owl invasion! : tracking an unusual migration (Sandra Markle's Science Discoveries) by Markle, Sandra — Millbrook Press, 2018. 598.9; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.9. The invasion -- History in the making -- Snowies become snowbirds -- Good news, bad news -- Project SNOWstorm -- A star owl reporter -- The future is snowy. "A historically large irruption of snowy owls during the winter of 2013-2014 brought them across the eastern US, and farther south than usual. Scientists used this opportunity to attach GPS tracking devices to some snowy owls to increase understanding of their winter behavior and migration.

Grades 5-8

The maze by Hobbs, Will — Avon, c1998 p1999--Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 4.2. Rick, a fourteen-year-old foster child, escapes from a juvenile detention facility near Las Vegas and travels to Canyonlands National Park in Utah where he meets a bird biologist working on a project to reintroduce condors to the wild. 

Marvels in the muck : life in the salt marshes by Wechsler, Doug — Audiobook (CD) Boyds Mills Press, 2008--578.769; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 4.9. Wildlife photographs and text reveal the secrets of salt marshes, where fish, crabs, turtles, shrimp, and a variety of birds, including bald eagles, egrets, and osprey, rely on a handful of plant species that grow in the coastal wetlands that buffer the impact of hurricanes and require defending before they disappear. 

Hoot by Hiaasen, Carl — Yearling, c2002 p2005---Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 5.1. Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site. 

Saving birds : heroes around the world by Salmansohn, Pete, 1947- — Tilbury House, 2003--333.95; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.2. Profiles adults and children working in six habitats around the world to save wild birds, some of which are on the brink of extinction. 

Snowy owl invasion! : tracking an unusual migration (Sandra Markle's Science Discoveries) by Markle, Sandra — Millbrook Press, 2018. 598.9; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.9. The invasion -- History in the making -- Snowies become snowbirds -- Good news, bad news -- Project SNOWstorm -- A star owl reporter -- The future is snowy. "A historically large irruption of snowy owls during the winter of 2013-2014 brought them across the eastern US, and farther south than usual. Scientists used this opportunity to attach GPS tracking devices to some snowy owls to increase understanding of their winter behavior and migration.

The call of the osprey (Scientists In The Field (HMH)) by Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw  — Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. 598.9; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 7.5. Explores mercury pollution found in the rivers and streams of Western Montana that might cause harm to humans--and the extinction of the entire osprey species.

Magnificent birds by Togo, Narisa  — Candlewick Studio, an imprint of Candlewick Press, 2018. 598.022; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 7.9. Linocut prints capture the beauty of fourteen birds from around the world including Japanese cranes, kakapos from New Zealand, and Andean flamingoes. Text describes the behaviors of each bird.

Rainforest bird rescue : changing the future for endangered wildlife by Kenyon, Linda, 1956- — Firefly Books, 2006--598.1734; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 8.1. Provides details and facts about rainforest birds from around the world, their endangerment and a range of conservation programs to save them, including profiles of individual conservationists and rainforest bird species. 

Birds of prey rescue : changing the future for endangered wildlife by Hickman, Pamela M — Firefly Books, 2006--639.9; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 8.3. Describes threats to the survival of birds of prey such as condors, falcons, and owls, and examines conservation efforts up close, profiling projects and workers. 

Animal hospital : rescuing urban wildlife by Coey, Julia  — Firefly Books, 2015. 636.08; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 8.6. Describes the field of wildlife rehabilitation, as sick and injured wild animals are cared for at a large urban wildlife center. Features birds, mammals and reptiles.