Show students pictures of different types of owl, such as snowy owls, barn owls and spotted owls. Draw a line down the center of a large piece of paper or white board to make two columns. Ask students to call out characteristics that are different about the owls, such as the color of their feathers or the shape of their bodies; write down student responses in the first column. Next, talk about what all the owls have in common: Feathers, a beak and wings are all possible answers. Write your students' responses in the second column. Talk about the results of your discussion, and how owls are similar to other birds. Ask students to use crayons and markers to draw a picture of their favorite type of owl.
Help students create a simple owl from paper, recommends the website First-School. Cut large circles from brown construction paper, and small circles from yellow construction paper. In addition, cut triangles out of white paper. Give each student one large circle, two small circles and one triangle. Ask students to paint the tip of the triangle orange, and to paint the rest of the triangle dark brown. Once the paint is dry, show students how to glue this triangle upside-down in the middle of the circle, so that the top of the triangle overlaps the top of the circle slightly: This is the owl's beak. Next, give each student two wiggly eyes, and help them glue the eyes to the yellow circles. Glue the yellow circles on the body of the owl, on either side of the beak. Invite students to use paint or markers to add feathers and claws to their owl.
Teach students about the owl diet. Explain that owls have advanced hearing and eyesight so that they can catch their prey, even at night. Tell students about the different foods owls eat, including small animals like mice, bugs and worms, spiders, smaller birds and reptiles. Cut out pictures of possible foods for an owl, including foods an owl does not eat, like grass or tree bark. Give students a piece of paper, and ask them to choose the pictures of foods that a owl eats and glue them to the paper.
Get students out of their seats with a dramatic play activity about owls. Show students videos of owls flying, and let students listen to owls hooting. Show students how to stand tall and spread their arms out like wings; encourage them to fly around the classroom or playground. Ask students to replicate the sound of an owl as well.