As children grow, they become more inquisitive about the world around them. Owls, with their unique anatomy, fascinating life cycle, and diverse varieties, are a captivating subject for young minds. With printable resources that teach about the different types of owls and hands-on activities that explore owl life cycle and anatomy, children will learn about the essential characteristics of these nocturnal birds. We’ll introduce you to some incredible resources available to help children learn about owls in engaging and entertaining ways.
About owls
Owls are fascinating birds that live all around the world, but primarily in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. These birds are known for their unique and beautiful features, such as their large round eyes, sharp talons, and smooth feathers.
Anatomy of Owls:
Owls have a large head with a flat face, which is called a facial disk. This disk helps them focus sounds towards their ears, which are located on the sides of their head, and are asymmetrically placed to allow them to hear sounds more effectively. They have large eyes that are fixed in their sockets, so they cannot move them around like humans can. Instead, they rotate their heads up to 270 degrees to look around.
Owls have strong beaks and powerful talons that they use to catch and kill their prey. They also have soft feathers that allow them to fly silently through the air.
Life Cycle of Owls:
Owls mate for life and typically lay one to three eggs at a time. The mother owl sits on the eggs while the father brings her food. After about a month, the eggs hatch, and the baby owls, called owlets, are born. Owlets are born blind and without feathers, but they grow quickly and learn to fly after about six weeks. The parents continue to feed and care for the young owls until they are ready to live on their own.
Types of Owls:
There are many different types of owls. Some of the most common ones include the barn owl, snowy owl, great horned owl, and screech owl. Barn owls are known for their heart-shaped faces and prefer to live in barns or other buildings. Snowy owls are found in the Arctic and have white feathers to help them blend in with the snow. Great horned owls have distinctive feather “horns” on their heads, and screech owls are small, with a distinctive trilling call.
Owls are amazing birds with fascinating anatomy, a unique life cycle, and many different types that vary in size, appearance, and habitat. Learning about them can be a fun and educational experience, and observing them in their natural habitat can be a great way to appreciate the beauty and diversity of the animal kingdom.
Owl themed hands on activities for children
Owls are fascinating birds that children love to learn about. Hands-on science activities with an owl theme can be a great way to teach children about the natural world and the science of birds. Here are some owl themed hands-on science activities for children.
Feather investigations – Owls have unique feathers that are designed for silent flight. Children can investigate the structure of owl feathers, and how they allow owls to fly quietly. They can also compare the feathers of different species of owls.
Building owl nests – Owls are known for their elaborate nests. Children can learn about the different materials that owls use to build their nests, and then try to build their own owl nests using materials such as twigs, leaves, and grass.
Owl calls and communication – Owls communicate with each other using a variety of hoots and calls. Children can learn about the different owl calls and try to mimic them themselves.
Owl tracking – Children can learn about the signs that owls leave behind, such as feathers and droppings, and use them to track the movements of owls in their local area.
DIY Owl Craft: You can help your child make an owl craft with felt or construction paper, scissors, glue, and markers. Cut out the owl’s body, wings, eyes, and beak and let your child use their creativity to put them together. This activity helps them with their fine motor skills.
Owl Origami: Origami is a great activity for kids that they can do with paper. They can create an owl using the origami technique. You can find tutorials online to learn how to make an owl this way. This activity helps them with their fine motor skills.
Owl Feathers Art: Collect feathers and let your child make a beautiful owl artwork. They can use glue and glitter on a paper plate or other surfaces to create their artwork. You can also make a beautiful dream catcher with feathers.
These hands-on science activities will engage children’s curiosity about the natural world and foster their love of science. Owl themed science activities can help children to learn about the science of birds and the unique features of these fascinating creatures.
Owl Pack
You are invited to download the owl pack – learning printables for preschool and kindergarten children. Use this resource with clear true-to-life images and photographs to create hands-on science activities for your students. Children will learn stages of the owl life cycle, and parts of an owl, practice sequencing skills, and work to improve their concentration and fine motor skills. This resource will come in handy when exploring the woodland biome and learning about forest animals, birds, vertebrates and mammals in your Montessori and early childhood classroom.
Providing printable materials for children about owl life cycle, anatomy, and types of owls can have numerous benefits. Firstly, it can educate children about the fascinating world of owls, increasing their knowledge and understanding of these beautiful creatures. Secondly, it can encourage a love for nature and conservation by highlighting the importance of protecting owl habitats. The information provided can also help children develop critical thinking skills and improve their vocabulary. Finally, the printable can be a fun and engaging activity for children to do at home or in the classroom, promoting creativity and curiosity.
This resource contains an ‘Owl life cycle’ poster, worksheet, 3-part cards, and Parts of an Owl printables.
Here is what’s included
- Owl life cycle diagram
- Owl life cycle 3 part cards
- Owl life cycle coloring, cutting, and pasting worksheet (color and blackline)
- Owl life cycle tracing strips
- Owl life cycle information cards
- Parts of an Owl diagram
- Parts of an Owl diagram minus labels
- Parts of an Owl labels
- Parts of an Owl information cards
- Parts of an Owl tracing & independent writing worksheet
- Parts of an Owl student booklet (independent writing)
- Types of Owls 3 part cards
- Types of Owls information cards
- Owl characteristics color poster
- Owl characteristics black line poster
- Owl characteristics mat
- Owl characteristics color cards
- Owl characteristics tracing & coloring student booklet
- Owl characteristics student booklet
- Owl information poster
- My Book About Owls
- Owl Prey vs. Preditors sorting cards
- Owl anatomy diagram adjective activity.
Age: Preschool ages 3 – 6 years
Subjects and uses in the classroom: Bird study, Animals of North America and Europe, Nature Table, Science Centers, Fine motor, Prewriting, Extension work for the parts of a bird Montessori puzzle.
How to Use:
Parts of an owl – Gather books on birds for children to explore. Print posters and label cards on cardstock and laminate. Cut individual label cards.
Attach clear velcro to the poster without labels and label cards. Velco will come in especially handy if you decide to take your work outdoors. Having an additional challenge for little fingers is always welcomed when working with young children!
Present the poster – name all parts and invite the students to share their thoughts on the various functions of each part. Then read each label and invite the student to match it to the corresponding part of the owl’s body.
Life Cycle poster – print on cardstock and laminate. Present all stages of the life cycle. Invite the children to retell them or tell their own story that features all the stages.
3-part cards – Print on cardstock and laminate if you wish to preserve colors and card quality for future use. Place picture cards in a column and invite the children to match the picture to the picture and the word to the word.
Life cycle line art – supply scissors, glue, and coloring pencils. Invite the student to color and cut cards and glue them into the correct sequence.
Tracing and coloring worksheets – print on cardstock and laminate. Supply an erasable pen. Invite the child to trace the words and color corresponding images. Alternatively, print pages on regular printing paper and slide them into plastic pockets.
cHILDREN’S BOOKS ABOUT OWLS
Little Owl's Night
It's evening in the forest and Little Owl wakes up from his day-long sleep to watch his friends enjoying the night.
National Geographic Readers: Owls
Beautiful photos and carefully leveled text make this book perfect for reading aloud or for independent reading.
Owl Babies
Three baby owls awake one night to find their mother gone, and they can’t help but wonder where she is.
Snowy Owls
Learn more about this giant owl with full color photos, range maps, and carefully leveled text.
Little Owl's Snow
"Winter's almost here!" says Little Owl, as he observes leaves falling, animal friends hibernating, and a chill from his feathers to his feet.
White Owl, Barn Owl: Read and Wonder
Michael Foreman’s lush, intimate paintings are a perfect companion to Nicola Davies’s lyrical text featuring intriguing facts about a rare bird indeed.
Snowy Owls Are Awesome
Snowy owls call the bitterly cold Arctic their home. Learn how they live in this harsh environment.
The Barn Owls
. Following the life cycle of the barn owl, this gentle poem evokes a sense of warm sunshine and envelopes readers with the memory of the scent of a wheat field.
Great Horned Owls
Learn more about these tufted hunters with full-color photos, range maps, and carefully leveled text.
National Geographic Readers: Hoot, Owl!
The humorous and fun information about one of nature's most intriguing animals makes this new reading experience a treat.
A Snowy Owl Story
Through this simple narrative, youngsters will learn about migration, adaptation, and respectful human interaction with nature.
Burrowing Owls
Learn more about these pint-sized predators with full color photos, range maps, and carefully leveled text.
Barn Owls
Learn more about these pale nighttime hunters with full color photos, range maps, and carefully leveled text.
All About Owls
Packed with intriguing information and brought to life by Arnosky's vibrant watercolors, this book will fascinate young readers.
Great-horned Owls
Great-horned owls earn their nickname tiger in the sky.
Counting Birds: The Idea That Helped Save Our Feathered Friends
Counting Birds is a beautifully illustrated book that introduces kids to the idea of bird counts and bird watches.
Owls
In this book, children can learn about Owls and also discover beautiful vivid photos as well.
Baby Owl
The great horned owlet is warm and cozy alongside his two sisters and their mother. But the little ones grow so fat and fluffy that, before long, their mother is squeezed right out of their nest in the tree.
It's a Snowy Owl!
This carefully crafted text gives readers a glimpse into their habits, habitats, and more.