STRAND 1: Nature of Science and Engineering

0.1.1.2.1 Use observations to develop an accurate description of a natural phenomenon and compare one’s observations and descriptions with those of others.

• Observe physical and behavioral adaptations of a live raptors.

STRAND 4: Life Science

0.4.1.1.1 Observe and compare plants and animals.

• Observe differences between animals; specifically, differences between raptors and non-raptors; and between different raptor species. 

0.4.1.1.2 Identify the external parts of a variety of plants and animals including humans. For example: Heads, legs, eyes and ears on humans and animals, flowers, stems and roots on many plants.

• Identify the external parts of raptors; specifically, feathers, large eyes, powerful talons, and curved beaks.

STRAND 1: Nature of Science and Engineering

1.1.1.1.1 When asked "How do You Know?" students support their answer with observations. For example: Use observations to tell why a squirrel is a living thing.

• Use their observation to explain why a bird they are seeing is a raptor.

1.1.3.1.1 Observe that many living and nonliving things are made of parts and that if a part is missing or broken, they may not function properly.

• Observe the permanent injury of a raptor and lean why this disability would prevent it from surviving in the wild.

STRAND 4: Life Science

1.4.1.1.1 Describe and sort animals into groups in many ways, according to their physical characteristics and behaviors.

• Describe raptors as belonging to on a common ancestor that share physical and behavioral adaptations.

1.4.2.1.1 Recognize that animals need space, water, food, shelter and air.

• Raptors are carnivores that need space to hunt so they can catch and eat other animals to survive. Raptors acquire the majority of the water they need from the food they eat. 

STRAND 1: Nature of Science and Engineering

2.1.1.2.1 Raise questions about the natural world and seek answers by making careful observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing the answers with others

• Seeing live raptors up close naturally generates many questions from students as they seek answers about the birds they are observing.

STRAND 1: Nature of Science and Engineering

3.1.1.2.1 Generate questions that can be answered when scientific knowledge is combined with knowledge gained from one's own observations or investigations.

• Generating questions through observations that students can get answered by directly asking a scientific expert.

3.1.3.2.2 Recognize that the practice of science and/or engineering involves many different kinds of work and engages men and women of all ages and backgrounds.

• Recognize that veterinarians at The Raptor Center are scientists that use the practice of science to rehabilitate sick and injured raptors back to the wild. The Raptor Center Educators are raptor experts using the process of science to understand and teach about raptors. These careers are engaged in by both men and woman from a variety of backgrounds.

STRAND 4: Life Science

3.4.1.1.1 Compare how the different structures of plants and animals serve various functions of growth, survival and reproduction. (1. Living things are diverse with many different characteristics that enable them to grow, reproduce and survive.)

• Compare differences between animals, specifically between different raptor species, of their physical and behavioral adaptations that allow them to survive and reproduce in the wild.

3.4.1.1.2 Identify common groups of plants and animals using observable physical characteristics, structures and behaviors.

• Identify if a bird is in the common group of birds called raptors, using observable physical characteristics, structures, and behaviors.

3.4.3.2.1 Give examples of likenesses between adults and offspring in plants and animals that can be inherited or acquired.

• Give examples of the differences in likenesses of adult and juvenile raptors that have variations in plumage.

STRAND 1: Nature of Science and Engineering

4.1.2.1.1 Describe the positive and negative impacts that the designed world has on the natural world as more and more engineered products and services are created and used.

• Describe how raptors have been positively and negatively impacted by human development. DDT, a pesticide used on farms, nearly caused several raptor species to go extinct due to DDT’s effects on eggshells. In 1927, DDT was banned allowing these species to recover. Red-tailed hawks have thrived along highways because open spaces along roads provides habitat for their prey, small mammals, while providing them tall vantage points from light poles or road signs to spot their prey. Each year, nearly 1,000 raptors are admitted sick or injured to The Raptor Center’s rehabilitation clinic, the majority of these injures are due to interaction with people and human development.

STRAND 4: Life Science

5.4.1.1.1 Describe how plant and animal structures and their functions provide an advantage for survival in a given natural system. For example: Compare the physical characteristics of plants or animals from widely different environments, such as desert verses tropical, and explore how each has adapted to its environment.

• Describe how animal structure, specifically in raptors, allows owls to hunt nocturnally, falcons to hunt in the air, and eagles and hawks to hunt animals on the ground.

5.4.4.1.1 Give examples of beneficial and harmful human interaction with natural systems. For example: Recreation, pollution, wildlife management. (1. Humans change environments in ways that can be either beneficial or harmful to themselves and other organisms.)

• Describe how raptors have been positively and negatively impacted by human development. DDT, a pesticide used on farms, nearly caused several raptor species to go extinct due to DDT’s effects on eggshells. In 1927, DDT was banned allowing these species to recover. Red-tailed hawks have thrived along highways because open spaces along roads provides habitat for their prey, small mammals, while providing them tall vantage points from light poles or road signs to spot their prey. Each year, nearly 1,000 raptors are admitted sick or injured to The Raptor Center’s rehabilitation clinic, the majority of these injures are due to interaction with people and human development.

STRAND 4: Life Science

7.4.3.1.3 Distinguish between characteristics of organisms that are inherited and those acquired through environmental influences.

• Distinguish physical adaptations from behavioral adaptions through direct observations of several raptor species. 

7.4.4.1.2 Describe ways that human activities can change the populations and communities in an ecosystem.

• Describe how raptors have been positively and negatively impacted by human development. DDT, a pesticide used on farms, nearly caused several raptor species to go extinct due to DDT’s effects on eggshells. In 1927, DDT was banned allowing these species to recover. Red-tailed hawks have thrived along highways because open spaces along roads provides habitat for their prey, small mammals, while providing them tall vantage points from light poles or road signs to spot their prey. Each year, nearly 1,000 raptors are admitted sick or injured to The Raptor Center’s rehabilitation clinic, the majority of these injures are due to interaction with people and human development.