Year 5 enjoyed a maths lesson with a difference as they took part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. Taking part was as simple as counting the birds seen in their garden (ignoring any birds in flight). To avoid double-counting, the children recorded the highest number of each bird species seen at any one time – not a running total.
The RSPB says:
“Thanks to people like you taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, we now have over 40 years of data and this has helped increase our understanding of the challenges faced by wildlife.
It was one of the first surveys to identify the decline of song thrushes in gardens. This species was a firm fixture in the top 10 in 1979. But by 2019, those numbers had declined by 76% – coming in at number 20. And did you know that house sparrow sightings have dropped by 53% since the first Birdwatch in 1979? However, in the past 10 years their numbers have grown by 10% showing that we are beginning to see some signs of recovery.
Results like these help us spot problems. But, more importantly, they are the first step towards putting things right.”
Rumour has it that this was “the most fun maths lesson, ever!”
