Karen Vitek

Vitek's "Birdhouse Trail" project helps students participate in a real world, hands-on experience that makes learning come alive. By studying the lifecycle of a bird, students learn the importance of habitat and the impact environmental changes can have on animals. Students construct and maintain a birdhouse trail for observation and data collection purposes. Multimedia and text based materials are used to research the characteristics and habitat needs of birds common to the area. At the end of the nesting season, students graph and analyze the results of collected data, and publish the results on the school Web site. The project benefits both the school and the community by providing a visible reminder of each person's responsibility to protect the environment.