Winter brings cold, blustery days, and wonder, magic, and beauty as nature quiets and slows its pace. With the splendor of snow and the beauty of the season, it’s a magnificent time to read a mesmerizing wintry picture book. Owl Moon by Jane Yolen captures the quiet wonder of the woods, the whimsy of winter, and the mystery of owls. It’s a story that invites reflection, peace, observation, a family bond, and imagination, making it the perfect book to pair with hands-on engaging activities. With long stretches indoors, students love the opportunity to learn in active ways.
We have created five unique, hands-on activities to bring the wonder of Owl Moon this winter season to your classroom.
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Publisher’s Synopsis:
Late one winter night a little girl and her father go owling. The trees stand still as statues and the world is silent as a dream. Whoo-whoo-whoo, the father calls to the mysterious nighttime bird. But there is no answer. Wordlessly the two companions walk along, for when you go owling you don’t need words. You don’t need anything but hope. Sometimes there isn’t an owl, but sometimes there is. Distinguished author Jane Yolen has created a gentle, poetic story that lovingly depicts the special companionship of a young child and her father as well as humankind’s close relationship to the natural world. Wonderfully complemented by John Schoenherr’s soft, exquisite watercolor illustrations, this is a verbal and visual treasure, perfect for reading around and sharing at bedtime.
Owl Moon Activity 1: Nature Walk Scrapbook Writing
The main character, a young girl in Owl Moon, takes a long walk through nature with her father to go “owling,” a practice in which you look for owls during the night. The author takes readers on a journey with descriptions, beautiful imagery, and abundant sensory words to make it feel like we’re right there along with the main character and her Pa on their wintry owling nature walk.
Students can place themselves in the characters’ shoes by taking a nature winter walk. Students should take with them a piece of paper, a pencil, and a clipboard. Task students with observing, reflecting, and recording all they see, hear, smell, and touch. Remind students to use sensory words and adjectives as they write their lists. Students can then turn their list of observations into a descriptive writing piece or nature scrapbook journal.
If your students can’t do this because perhaps your area does not get snow, we found a great Walking Through Snowy Forest at Night video for your students to use for this project instead.
A nature walk scrapbook is like a magical book where students can explore the world around them by drawing, writing, and reflecting on the amazing things they observe during wintertime outside. By blending careful observation, creative drawing, and thoughtful writing, a nature scrapbook activity becomes a treasure full of memories and discoveries. Plus, it’s a fun way to connect with nature and Owl Moon.
In our Owl Moon Project Based Unit, we have a full nature scrapbook project. Students will utilize guides, sensory word lists, and templates to create their own nature scrapbook. (A rubric is also included.) There is even a guide to writing a sensory poem for students to include a descriptive poem in their scrapbooks.
Owl Moon Activity 2: Owl Wing or Talon Prosthetic Project
Owl Moon is a story that brings about a plethora of learning possibilities. Diving or “flying” into science is one such possibility. After reading the story ask students, “What do you think would have happened if the main character and Pa discovered an injured owl? How would the story have been different?”
Then, invite a discussion about what to do if students find an injured owl. Discuss how owls can become injured, such as being attacked by a predator, a car hitting them, or getting trapped in a fence. Talk about what type of care an injured owl would receive at a wildlife center or veterinarian’s office. Ask students if they’ve ever heard of owls receiving prosthetics, or artificial parts made to replace or support the injured area. Prosthetic talons have been used for birds of prey, including owls. If a talon is lost or damaged, a vet may attach a lightweight, artificial talon to help the bird grip its food again.
There are various videos on YouTube about owls receiving prosthetics.
Challenge students to brainstorm how they would build a prosthetic wing or talon for an injured owl. Provide internet access and books for students to complete research on how owl wings and talons work before they use materials such as LEGO blocks, clay, play-doh, feathers, craft materials, etc to create a prosthetic wing or talon.
In our Owl Moon Project Based Unit, we have a STEM-based prosthetic project. Complete with an informational article on rehabilitating owls, a book list for owl research, recording sheets for research, a diagram/sketching graphic organizer, a full owl medical report, and a rubric, students will tackle the fun and interesting prosthetic project!
Owl Moon Activity #3 Owl Infographic
In Owl Moon, the characters finally stumble upon a Great Horned Owl, one of the largest and heaviest owl species in North America. Students can learn more about the Great Horned owl, or another species of owl by completing a research poster report.
Another type of project that is simple to assign is an infographic. An infographic presents information in a clear, visual way and makes the information visually appealing and exciting to view and learn. Students can choose either a Great Horned Owl or another owl of their choice. They can complete research and create an infographic about that owl. The infographic can be created through long paper, poster board, Piktochart, Canva, Google Slides, or any other platform. Display the various infographics around the classroom or in the hall for students to take an informational walk to learn all about various owls. Infographics are very visual, making them exciting to read.
Grab our Owl Moon project-based learning unit, where students will learn how to create an infographic step by step. With research sheets, planning guides, a full infographic template, and a rubric, we have everything you need to research a species of owl and present the findings in an infographic.
Owl Moon’s Activity #4 Owl Box
After reading Owl Moon, ask students to recall what kind of owl they found on their walk. In Owl Moon, Pa and his daughter find a Great Horned Owl, a species native to North America. Discuss how the owl was perched on a branch. Tell students that Great Horned Owls prefer an open home such as a simple perch or tree branch, with wide open spaces; however, other species like to live in protected conditions.
Many other species of owls make their homes out of trees, often in tree hollows or cavities. Smaller owls such as the Screech Owl and Barn Owl may reside in man-made residences, such as a bigger birdhouse or the eaves of a barn. With many trees being cut down due to construction, it is more common than ever for an owl to make a nest out of a wooden structure.
Owl Boxes
Owl boxes, birdhouses designed specifically for owls, are becoming more popular for individuals to build. They are placed in more suburban areas for owls to find a home. Additionally, homeowners are finding that owl boxes help attract owls to their yards to reduce the pest population since owls eat mice and other rodents.
Challenge students to build a bird box for owls. Students can complete research and choose the correct size and shape of the owl box for the specific species they have chosen to build for. Students can construct the owl box using craft and wooden materials and take their research into account. (Note: The owl box does not have to be made out of wood or materials to withstand weather. This can simply be an example or diorama of what an owl box would be like.)
In our Owl Moon resource, students will be able to utilize an informational article, research guides, a blueprint example, diagrams, and detailed directions to create an owl box. A rubric is provided for teachers. Students are bound to build a successful and creative owl box!
Owl Moon’s Activity #5: Informational News Broadcast
After reading Owl Moon, students can act as news anchors to record a video broadcast about owls and the book. Show various news broadcasts and/or YouTube videos to students, so they can understand what a news broadcast video will look like and to inspire creativity. Here is one such example.
Students can record their news broadcast videos on phones, iPads, cameras, etc, and edit their videos in various apps such as Canva, iMovie, and more. The news broadcast video can be about the book, owls, and interesting information concerning them. Encourage students to film “on location’ such as outside, or create a news desk in the classroom or their home. Host a “premiere” of the newscasts for the class to present their work.
Our Owl Moon resource contains templates, guides, and detailed instructions to create a successful informational news broadcast! A rubric is provided for teachers too.
Owl Moon Project-Based Learning Unit
This PBL Unit combines literacy, STEM, cooperative learning, and creativity to provide a well-rounded and engaging learning experience. Students will develop essential skills like writing, research, and teamwork while connecting deeply with the poetic beauty of Owl Moon. Perfect for upper elementary classrooms, this resource ensures meaningful learning and memorable projects that students will cherish.
Extra Resource!
Looking to explore the lovely figurative language of Owl Moon? Grab our Winter Figurative Language Resource to teach alliteration, onomatopoeia, similes, metaphors, hyperboles, and personification through winter-themed examples. Included is an Owl Moon figurative language identification sheet as well!
Conclusion
Owl Moon is a beautiful gateway to exploring themes of nature, patience, and wintry wonder. These five hands-on activities provide a way for your students to dive deeper into the story and spark their creativity during the winter months. Whether they’re crafting an owl prosthetic or bird box, researching species of owls, drafting a scrapbook, enjoying a nature walk, or filming an informational video, your students will carry the magic of Owl Moon with them—and their love for reading will soar just like an owl.
