Each person will writing a small section about a species of bird and supply plans for a birdhouse that satisfies the preferences of that species. The plans will include a complete parts list of all materials required to build the birdhouse. The person reading the plans must be able to learn about the bird and it’s habitat, and build the birdhouse from the plans provided.

You will be assigned a species of bird, but if you wish, you may design a house for bats or butterflies in place of your species of bird. I hope to get one or two bat and butterfly house designs.

This project will be completed according to the Design process presented in class. 

The final product that you will deliver is a package that will contain:

-         A written description about the species of bird

-         A three-view drawing of the birdhouse (done with Cadkey)

-         A sketched pictorial view of the birdhouse as an oblique or isometric

-         Complete parts list containing all parts required to build the birdhouse

The steps that follow describe how to complete this project. Use the navigation bar to the left to find information about each step of the project. Read through all the steps before beginning the project.

Open the blank presentation booklet and save it to your directory. Step one will help you determine what bird you were assigned. Edit your copy of the presentation booklet to indicate your bird and your name etc.

Step two will help you create a write-up about your bird (or butterfly or bat house). Use the research sites link on the navigation bar to the left for your information. There is lots of information available through these links. You will add this to your presentation booklet. When this is complete you will print the first pages of your booklet and hand them in for review and grading.

Step three tells you to do some research. There are sample houses for all the birds assigned as well as sample bat houses and butterfly houses. Use these for ideas. Don't just copy them. Sketch some designs to determine how you want your house to look. Hand these in for review.

Step four tells you what you need for your working drawings. Complete the drawings and hand them in for review. The class will learn how to incorporate them into the presentation booklet. Cadkey drawings can be added as an object to a Word document. Others will have to be pasted on after printing. 

Step five tells you what the finished product should contain. Your completed presentation booklet will be handed in for the final grade.

Now follow the links and have some fun with it.

Step 2

Research your bird

In what part of the country does it live?

What does it look like?

Anything unique you can discuss about this bird?

What kind of house does it prefer?

Floor size in inches

Depth of cavity

Diameter of hole

Height of hole

How high should the birdhouse be mounted?

Preferred birdhouse location

Using Microsoft word write a description of the bird, which, as a minimum, answers the questions stated above. This will be the first part of your presentation booklet. To create your presentation booklet, open the blank presentation booklet and save it to your directory. Then use it as a template for your work. The more interesting things you write the better your grade will be.

Be sure to site your sources of information. The blank presentation booklet has a place for you to put in your sources.

 

Research Sites

About Birds

Cornell has a great site for bird information. The bird pictures came from this site and are linked to this site.

To find birdhouse specifications for each species try the Cornell Birdhouse Network site or one of these:

Birdhouse Specifications for Different Species

Building Nest Structures, Feeders, and Photo Blinds

Building a Birdhouse

Another site with birdhouse dimensions

 

Here are some Birdhouse plans to get you started

Building songbird boxes

Another easy birdhouse

More Plans for a birdhouse

Free plans for lots of things including birdhouses

50birds.com, Bird House Designs For More Than 50 North American Birds

For those of you that want to design a Bat house. Check these out:

Bat house plans

Oklahoma bats

Another bat house plan

Finally I have some sites for Butterfly Houses

Butterfly house plans

Another plan for a butterfly house

Butterfly houses for sale. Good for ideas

 

Step 3

Develop possible solutions.

Do some research to see solutions to the same problem. Look at some birdhouse designs.

Sketch your design. Design your birdhouse for your species of bird. You may add some extras to make it more interesting. Make sure you meet the design requirements for your species.

 

Step 4

Prepare working drawings

Prepare a three view dimensioned drawing of your birdhouse using Cadkey.

Prepare a pictorial view as an oblique or isometric of your birdhouse. This can be a  sketch or a Cadkey drawing.

Complete a "bill of materials" including a part name, materials, sizes, and quantities. You will find a template for the parts list in the blank presentation booklet. Don't forget to include the thickness of the wood. Typically you will use 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch wood. Thinner wood is hard to fasten together. List the type of fasteners to use. Typically these will be nails or small screws.

You can create Cadkey drawings of any "special parts" that are needed for your birdhouse.

Everything that someone would need to know to build the birdhouse should be created in this step.

 

Step 5

Put all the parts of your project together. To create your final design package, use the blank presentation booklet that you saved to your directory and combine it with your sketch and Cadkey drawings. 

The booklet you hand in will contain:

-         Your written description about the species of bird, with sources.

-         Your three-view drawing of the birdhouse (done with Cadkey)

-         A pictorial drawing of your birdhouse

-       The completed parts list containing all parts required to build the birdhouse

-       Cadkey drawings of any “special parts” that you created.

 

Grading

The following items are to be handed in according to the schedule we established.  You will hand these in for grading as they are completed. 

 

	The written description of the bird
	The sketches of possible solutions
	The Cadkey drawings
	Pictorial Sketch
	Bill of materials (parts list)
	Final presentation booklet completed

 

When you get these items back you will save them and put them together to make your final design presentation booklet. That will be handed in for your final grade.

 

Grading will be based on the following:

 

 Written Research page

	Points
Accurate for bird species	20
Informative and interesting	20
Organized, well structured and written in own words	20
Includes all required information	20
Includes sources of information	20

  

Drawings

 

Drawings will be graded according to the established grading policy.

 

Final grade

A final project grade will be determined according to the following:

Process	Points
Works in an organized manner	5
Manages time wisely	5
Follows design process	10
Product
Meets requirements for bird species	20
Demonstrates knowledge of Cadkey	20
Demonstrates good technical drawing skills	20
Birdhouse plans are clear and easy to follow	20
Creativity	10