Audubon New York’s For the Birds! lands in Greenpoint
“OK, who can tell me what these are not for?” Audubon New York educator Tom Van Duyne asked, holding a garden trowel with a white metal blade and bright orange handle before the dozen or so uplifted faces that surrounded him in a rough semi-circle.
Initial responses varied. But it was pretty clear that third-grade students of P.S. 110, the Monitor School in Greenpoint, had been well-prepared for this day, the culmination of eight weeks of learning environmental awareness through the study of birds and their habitats.
“Not hitting people!” was the consensus — and correct — answer.
Now they were ready to consummate weeks of classroom study, field trips and observation by planting bird habitat-enhancing flora such as Joe Pyeweed and Miss Manners in their school’s garden.