September, 2009
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Where Are They Now? Meet the Cranes and See Egg-to-Sky Timeline
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BEFORE Migration: Build Background with Downloadable Booklets for Kids
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DURING Migration: How to Track Migration in the Classroom
Tip: Bookmark the Whooping Crane Home Page
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Journey South with Endangered Whooping Cranes Led by Ultralights
Welcome! Year NINE in the historic conservation project to reintroduce Whooping Cranes to the eastern part of North America is nearing takeoff with the largest number of chicks ever. As of early August, 23 hatch-year 2009 chicks were in "Flight School" at Wisconsin's Necedah (say Nuh SEE duh) National Wildlife Refuge. Just weeks from now they must be ready for their thrilling but risky first migration. They'll depart in October behind ultralight airplane "parents" that show the way. The new Eastern flock is growing!
An
additional 10 young whooper chicks are being costume-reared for a different
flight plan. After the ultralight planes depart with their chicks,
these
crane-kids will be released among the older adult Whooping cranes summering
on the Wisconsin refuge. Experts hope they will follow the older cranes
all the way to Florida, thus learning the lifelong migration route
for
the reintroduced Eastern flock. These 10 whooper chicks are part of the
Direct Autumn Release (DAR) program. DAR
is another step for adding young cranes to this growing new flock. This
is the fifth year for the DAR program.
We wonder: Will the chicks all make the journey safely? How long will
this year's ultralight-led migration take? What highlights and lowlights
await on the nearly 1,285-mile journey (route
changed in 2008) through seven states? You'll find out on Journey South
this fall. Read on for directions to participate. We're glad you're here!
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| Photo
Heather Ray |
Meet the Cranes and See Egg-to-Sky Timeline
Because this year's story really began during the summer, now's the time to meet the new "ultra-chicks" and catch up on their progress. Watch them today on the Crane Cam! We've kept track of the "Class of 2009" since they hatched last spring. Read about their personalities and you'll see why many students enjoy "adopting" a crane to follow throughout fall's journey south and spring's return journey north.
Our timeline of key events will help you follow the flock's milestones so far. Use the information to start a school or classroom timeline now; add to your timeline when the daily migration Updates start in October.
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| Photo
Heather Ray |
See the chicks LIVE on the NEW Operation Migration CraneCam!
TEACHERS: You may wish to block your computer's pop-up ads before clicking to Crane Cam.
Build Background with Downloadable Booklets/Slideshows for Kids
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Do you wonder what makes a chick think a tiny airplane is its mom? Why are they following a 350-pound airplane and not their own parents? What are those billowy white gowns about? Why is pecking order a big deal when raising these chicks? Our just-for-kids nonfiction booklets offer facts while building reading skills and supporting standards. Between now and the migration departure in October, a series of weekly downloadable nonfiction booklets (in a recommended chronological order) will cover the “Big Ideas” of the young cranes' development and training. A companion Teacher Guide helps make the most of each booklet and lists coordinating lessons on the Web. Booklets are also available on the Web in slideshow format.
Follow
Daily Migration Updates
Come fly with the whoopers! See our daily Web postings with
the latest news, maps, and photos starting on Day One of the migration.
(Watch for early- to mid-October target depature date to be announced
later.)
Map
the Migration
This
link tells you how to purchase a map or make your own so you can track
the migration from Wisconsin all the way to Florida using information
in our daily Web reports. We
also suggest fun ways to handle students' real-life
questions as they follow
the map and daily
narratives during migration.
Keep
Migration Journals
Print our ready-to-go templates so students can make migration
journals, writing creative headlines and summarizing the young cranes'
adventures in their own words. Pages offer space for responses to the
great Journaling Questions that end each of the daily Web Updates, too.
The coming season will be rich with concrete examples of key science
concepts and organizing themes that can provide focus for student journals:
habitat, weather, flight, navigation, adaptations, costume-rearing protocol,
endangered species, and more. Use these ready-made journal pages as
we've designed them, or download and edit them to fit your needs.
Predict
and Compare
Keep records on this chart
as the migration unfolds. The link also gives instant comparison to
all the previous ultralight-led migrations.
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How do cranes fly? Why do planes have to lead the birds? What's it like to fly an ultralight? Who's on the team to conduct the migration? Why are Whooping cranes endangered? How many cranes are alive today? How many chicks will survive their first migration and make it back to Wisconsin in the spring? We'll help you discover answers (and more questions!) as the exciting migration unfolds. To learn more about this historic study, see:
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| Photo
OM |
Pre-migration:
Each Friday, a brief e-mail notice gives current newsy tidbits and the
next title in our series of six downloadable booklets for building
pre-migration background.
During migration: When migration begins, the Friday e-mails
will summarize that week's Highlight Updates, which post DAILY (complete
with latest maps, facts, photos, and fun) on the Web.
E-mail
Summaries are posted to registered participants on FRIDAYS:
Sep. 4, 11, 18, 25; Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; Nov. 6, 13, 20. . .or until
this year's newest Eastern Whooping Crane chicks reach their winter homes
in Florida!
Thank you for joining us in this exciting migration. Now the fun begins!
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