 CEE chose Johnston Middle School in Houston, Texas to serve as the pilot school for its Flying WILD program. Students participated in activities from Flying WILD: An Educator's Guide to Celebrating Birds to learn more about birds and their conservation needs. Then on the evening of Tuesday, September 28, 2004, they exhibited what they learned at a school-wide bird festival. Held in conjunction with the school's annual Family Math and Science night, the event drew over 693 students, families, and educators from the Houston area - a great turnout for the highly anticipated debut of Flying WILD. Amidst elaborate bird drawings, collaged posters, paper putting greens, and a live screech owl, students led and participated in numerous interactive activities—all relating to the amazing world of migratory birds. Scroll down to see just a few of the many educational and fun festival booths in action.
Take a peek inside...
INDOORS...................................................................................................................
 "Bird" Banding
After signing in at the door, each visitor
received a numbered “bird band” wrist
bracelet and had their "wingspans"
measured. Once recorded, guests
were free to visit the
activity booths.
"Fill the Bill"
Visitor simulated trying to eat with different types of bird beaks to learn that different birds are specialized to eat different foods.
"Hidden Hazards"
Visitors traversed an obstacle course
teaching about many of the dangers
migratory birds face.
Birds on Display
Posters and student artwork lined the back wall of the cafeteria, illustrating the beauty of birds and the importance of birds to people.
Live Animal Demonstrations 
Visitors took a close looks at the
"birdy" features of live parakeets. They also met a live screech owl and learned more about how experts rehabilitate injured wild birds.
"Aiming
to Save" 
Guests enjoyed a quick game of Putt-Putt Golf that included an explanation of the habitat needs of birds.
"Bird Olympics"
Visitors participated in activities designed
to illustrate how their abilities measure up
against the amazing abilities of birds.
OUTDOORS..............................................................................................................
"Bird Buffet"
Students created bird feeders
to help them attract and
observe birds in their
own backyards.
"Food for the Brood" 
Visitors ran a
relay race to simulate the
effort bird
parents exert
to feed their
young.
"The Birding Beat" 
Students helped adults to locate and identify several hidden bird species in the school's wildlife habitat
garden.
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