-- HUMMINGBIRD WRITING ACTIVITIES --

Trying to capture in words the antics of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) can be a real challenge, but there's so much to work with that the hummingbird could easily inspire a whole collection of poems, short stories, and essays.

We hope you'll want to share your original creative writing about hummingbirds for publication on Operation RubyThroat. If so, contact PROJECTS.

In the meantime, here are some ideas for teachers, students, and other individuals to try.

Teachers and their student groups, individual students, and others who are registered participants with Operation RubyThroat get priority attention to all requests for information and assistance. To register, see How to Participate.

WRITING ACTIVITY #1: Hummingbird Poetry

Ask students to write a poem that:

  • Describes how a Ruby-throated Hummingbird might feel if, having migrated across the Gulf of Mexico, it arrived in Central America to find its favorite winter range slashed and burned by poor native ranchers grazing cattle to try to make a living.

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES: Creative writing, economics, geography--plus hummingbird science.

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES: Linguistic, Intrapersonal, Logical-Mathematical, Naturalistic

WRITING ACTIVITY #2: Hummingbird Tales

Read to the students a Native American story about nature. Then ask them to write their own stories in the style of Native Americans explaining how the Ruby-throated Hummingbird got its long bill, ability to hover, red throat, metallic colors, etc.

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES: Creative writing, history, anthropology--plus hummingbird science.

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES: Linguistic, Interpersonal, Logical-Mathematical, Naturalistic

Totem of a hummingbird, rendered in the style of Native Americans from the Pacific Northwest.

NOTE: Please send descriptions and results from your successful writing-related cross-disciplinary activities to Operation RubyThroat via PROJECTS.

Back to Cross-disciplinary Activities

Go to Activities in Art or Drama or Geography or Math or Music

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