A Nest is Noisy

Written by Dianna Hutts Aston 

Illustrated by Sylvia Long

Today we worked on the concept of structures by looking at a nest and writing about it.  We started by thinking about what we new about structures and that a structure is the shape and form of something.  

I asked everyone to write why a nest was a structure and then we wrote 1 for the class

A nest is a structure because it has a shape and a form.

 

We discussed what architects and engineers do and how they work together.  We discussed how they work together:  Gathering the best materials, process of thinking how to build, what type of structure to build and where.

 

Next, we observed a small nest and started writing the details about what we observed.  The shape was round, had somewhat of a spiral pattern, it was build in layers and mostly with the same materials.  We observed it was built in two distinct parts and we started thinking about the function of those parts:  temperatures, protection, and sort of a net.  From our observation we made a list.

 

Finally, we did a sketch of the shape and small small details that gave it some form and purpose. 

 

Our next activity was to listen and to THINK about the way the author described the different nests and how the illustrator used painting to add to the detail of the words.

 

Each of you made a list of what you thought were the best words: noisy, enormous welcoming, papery, bubbly, assemble a cradle, knitting together leaves, braid a new bed of strong branches, stretchy silk, slithering snakes.  

 

Our net gathered many good words to best describe different kinds of nests.  

 

What a great day and many good questions.  I want to thank you all for working harder and improving on your writing and observation skills.