Whooping Crane Teacher Tips for Life at "Camp O.M." Print-and-Fold Instructions Web "Slideshow" Version of Booklet BEFORE READING Make Predictions: Review previous booklets and ask kids to describe what they think flight training sessions are like for the crane chicks. What might be some challenges for the birds and the training team — two different species (humans and cranes)?   DURING READING Critical Thinking. Discuss: • Why is the health of these chicks so important? (Whooping cranes are rare and endangered. The population grows slowly, and each chick is valuable as a future parent and a member of the reintroduced Eastern flock.) •Why would Swamp Monster be scary to a chick? Why is using Swamp Monster a good way to discourage the unwanted behaviors? (The project leaders want the cranes to be as much like wild cranes as possible; that means being afraid of things that are unfamiliar so they will try to escape, or try to seek the familiar and comfortable.) Make Connections: •The training crew starts every day before sunrise. What have you done in your life that requires similar dedication? • Discuss how school classes are "cohorts" too, with a large number of students all close to the same age.Think about the way kids in a class sort themselves out socially. How is their "pecking order" similar to that of a Whooping crane cohort? How is it different? Write your thoughts in your journal, or discuss as a class.   AFTER READING: EXTEND LEARNING In-depth Lessons (to address the boldface words on the pages) • Who's in Charge? (Journey North for Kids) • Keeping Crane Chicks Healthy (Journey North for Kids) • Swamp Monster Helps With Training • What Is Roosting? • Report Cards for Cranes in Training • Flight Formation: The V's Have It • Adaptations That Help Cranes Survive Audio Clip (with pre-listening guide questions) How Does the Trike Help The Cranes in Flight? ( Pilot Deke Clark: 67 seconds) Video Clip: Why Three Cohorts? (Pilot Joe Duff explains) Video Tech Tips for Viewing Text of video clip: "We start with 3 separate cohorts and they're divided into small groups based on age and they're housed in 3 separate pens at the refuge. And we train them in small groups because that's more natural, and it's easier to get their attention. They know there's safety in numbers. It's easy to sing in a choir with a hundred people up there but it's hard to sing a solo and when you sing a solo you're kind of insecure. And these birds in small numbers are less secure and therefore they turn to the parent and pay attention and so that's why we raise them in small numbers." Discuss: Name 2 reasons the birds are raised and trained in 3 small cohorts instead of one big one. Play a Game: Pecking Order Simulation Game Journal: Write a paragraph describing why it's important for the trainers and ultralight pilots to understand and work with the cranes' dominance structure. Journey North is pleased to feature this educational adventure made possible by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP). Facebook Pinterest Twitter © 1997 – 2019 Journey North. All rights reserved.