Owl Talks For Schools

Educating on the Conservation
of Wild British Owls

An experienced and popular children’s speaker, I offer a range of educational talks and activities for schools and colleges where children can learn about the wild owls in their local countryside.

Talks are delivered using a laptop computer with MS Powerpoint and projected onto a large 1.8mtr screen using a high quality XGA projector, offering superb visuals, essential for talks with a high amount of high resolution photography.

All shows display many fascinating photographs, and a live, tame owl is brought to meet the children at each visit.

Powerpoint Presentations are about 35-40 minutes in length and are designed to give a summary of owls and their lives in a single presentation. Ideal for the hall, they can be shortened to suit the needs of individual schools or for younger children.

Modules are now offered in response to demand from schools for an owl ‘course’ , where I can offer repeat visit to classes to learn in depth abut British owls. These shorter sessions, maximum 30 minutes in length, focus on specific aspects of owls, going into more detail and offering children a unique and fascinating insight into the design, behaviour and daily lives of British owls. Each module targets specific subjects, such as hunting and prey base, nesting and owl babies etc.

Modules can be delivered in sessions during a day’s visit or over a scheduled period of repeat visits. While aimed at Key Stage 2 pupils, they can be tailored to suit KS 1, KS3, KS4 or any other individual requirement for older students.

‘Draw an Owl’ Art Workshops are an opportunity for children to paint or draw owls in the classroom. Sessions can be any length, tailored to suit individual requirements, but usually 30 - 45 minutes is ideal.

Owl Photography Workshops are a new addition to my range of services for schools for 2010. This is a unique opportunity for children to photograph live owls in the school grounds or in the classroom, combining photography with wildlife education.

Misty The Barn Owl Talk - For Playgroups / Pre-school / Reception

This talk for younger children features a short story about Misty the barn owl chick's wait for her mum to bring her dinner. It has a light conservation message and features many of Misty's farmyard friends.

Delivered in a light-hearted way, the children are encouraged to make all the farmyard sounds and answer simple questions.

At the end of the show, the children are introduced to a live British owl.

Children's Educational Owl Show - for KS1 & KS2 / School Assemblies
This talk is a general introduction to British Owls for children and features many colourful photographs of owls and their chicks.

The presentation looks at where owls live, what they eat, how they hunt and find their food and what types of countryside are needed for them. A highly succesful talk which has been deveoped over the past 5 years and enjoyed by thousands of children, this is the ideal presentation for school assemblies, year groups or just a gathering of school age children of mixed ages.

As with all my children's presentations, the children are engaged throughout the 30 - 40 minute session and have lots of opportunities to answer simple questions and guess the owl babies in the 'What Owl Am I? Quiz at the end of the show. A live owl is brought out to meet the children after the presentation, which is an opportuity for the children to ask more questions

The Conservation of British Owls - for KS3 & KS4 / College Students etc
A special adaptation of my adult talk for young adults, this is the ideal introduction to British owls for seconday school children and college students.

Tried and tested, the reluctance of some students to sit and listen to a 'mad owl man' is soon knocked into orbit by stunning visuals, witty delivery and the fascinating 'draw' that owls have for all ages!

Delivered in a style to stimulate the imagination of young adults, this talk is guranteed to be enjoyed and will give students a much better understanding of owls as beautiful wild birds and their

Module 1 - Owls In Our Countryside: An introduction to the five species of owl that breed in Britain, the barn owl, long-eared owl, short-eared owl, little owl and tawny owl. This module looks at the behavioural differences between these birds and compares the features that set each species apart from one another.

Module 2 - Where Owls Live and How They Adapt To Their Environment: This module takes a close look at places where owls roost and nest, their camouflage, physical characteristics that give them the ability to survive in their habitats and how they use both vocal and visual methods to communicate with each other.

Module 3 - What Owls Eat And How They Find Their Food: A fascinating look at the importance of habitats for owls, how owls locate their prey and the importance of food chains. This module also takes a close look at the importance of an owl’s eyes, ears, talons and wing design.

Module 4 - Nesting And Raising Young: This module looks at the different places where owls breed, display behaviour and pair bonding, how the parents work together to care for the chicks and the issues that face the survival of chicks.

The ‘Draw an Owl’ session begins with a look at the features of owls, using the live owl as a model. I then give the children ideas of how to start their picture and then the session begins, with children using pencils, paints or any other medium to draw their picture of the owl, while the owl sits on a branch, supported by a tripod.

During the session, I will circulate around the classroom with a selection of owl feathers, eggs, pellets etc and will give the children extra information on these fascinating birds.

A very popular educational experience combining an activity with conservation education.

Owl photography workshops are a great way for children to learn about photography and have an opportunity to photograph a British owl and keep the pictures.

Using one of my tame owls, the group will set up in the school grounds or inside and the owl will pose for the camera. During the session, I will continue to tell the children many facts about the owl. A unique opportunity to combine an activity with a great conservation learning experience.

Nb. Cameras not supplied

Nb: Outdoor photography location needs to be away from busy roads or any other sources of loud noise, to avoid distress to the birds.

Wild Owl Offers a Range of Fascinating Presentations and Activities Especially Designed to Teach Children About Wild British Owls and Their Conservation in a Fun and Informative Way.

• Playgroups • Pre-school • Infant Schools • Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools • Private Schools • Colleges