Lesson Plan #:AELP-PHY0015

The Drinking Bird

An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

Submitted by: Clark Brean, Lebanon Union H. S., Lebanon, Or.
Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.

Date: May 1994

Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

PURPOSE: To investigate the operation of a toy drinking bird.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:

Drinking bird 250 ml beaker Water

OBJECTIVE:

Toys often illustrate fundamental physical principles. The toy drinking bird is an example. The challenge for you in the lab is to discover why the drinking bird functions.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:

  1. Set up the toy drinking bird with a beaker of water so that the bird will cycle. Be sure the bird beak touches the water with each cycle.Q You may need to adjust the fulcrum to be sure the bird cycles smoothly. NOTE: As the instructor, you might want to be sure you have all birds cycling correctly before the lab to save time.
  2. After the bird starts "drinking," study its operation carefully. Your goal is to explain how it works. As a final product, I would like an outline that explains step by step, one full cycle of the bird's movement.

OPTIONAL QUESTIONS

NOTE: You may include these questions to help lead the students to the explanation of the cycle or you may hold them for yourself and use them to guide students that become stuck.

  1. What causes the fluid to rise up the toy bird's neck?
  2. What causes the bird to dip?
  3. What causes the bird to make itself erect?
  4. What is the purpose of the fuzzy head of the bird?
  5. Will the bird continue to drink if the cup is removed? Explain.
  6. Will the relative humidity of the surrounding air affect the rate of dipping of the bird? Explain.
  7. Will the bird dip faster indoors or outdoors? Why will this be so?
  8. Give three conditions that will cause the bird to fail to operate.
  9. Give at least one practical application of the method of operation of the drinking bird.
  10. How does the temperature of the water in the beaker affect the rate of cycling of the bird?
Useful Internet Resources:
* How Stuff Works: How does a Dippy Bird work?
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question608.htm

* The Dipping Bird
http://www.exploratorium.edu/wsw/progress_snacks/dippingbird/