Amana Academy third-graders work to keep bird species flying

Third-graders at Amana Academy, a Fulton County Schools charter school, recently put their classroom work to the test by collaborating with the Atlanta Audubon Society. They worked together to learn about declining populations of the Brown-headed Nuthatch, a species of bird found almost exclusively in the southeastern United States. Students researched the nuthatch in technology classes and learned about environmental factors affecting the birds' natural habitat in science. Using the engineering design process, the students developed plans for birdhouses that could be installed in and around Alpharetta. They also composed persuasive letters that were presented to Terry Porter, environmental programs coordinator with the City of Alpharetta, to advocate for installing the birdhouses in parks throughout the city. Students even staged a fundraising campaign to purchase supplies for 35 nuthatch houses, 10 of which will be installed in Alpharetta's Wills Park.