Description games give sixth graders the chance to practice describing various types of birds. One way to play a description game is to have students stand up in front of the class and describe a particular bird's characteristics, while the rest of the students guess the bird he is describing. This game can also be played in small groups. Another variation on a description game is for each student to write down the characteristics of a bird on a piece of paper, exchange lists with a classmate and have students guess one another's birds.
Labeling games are effective for teaching sixth graders the different body parts on birds. One idea for a game is for students to label blank diagrams of birds on worksheets. Another labeling game is to mix up the names of the body parts on a worksheet and have students rename the parts with the correct answers. You could also turn a labeling game into a word scramble game, by passing out worksheets with bird diagrams that have scrambled body parts -- such as "sstaru" instead of "tarsus" -- and having the students unscramble each of the labels.
Outdoor bird games remove kids from inside the classroom and get them into the birds' natural environment. A bird watching game can have students keeping logs on the types of birds they see and their behaviors. Another game to play as a class is to give students bird-related scavenger hunt items to find, such as nests, eggs or shells and three different types of feathers. Students can also learn to identify different bird calls and sounds they make in the trees and then play a game of trying to make the calls or identify recorded sounds.
Picture games give sixth graders the chance to enhance their knowledge of different types of birds by identifying them through images. One picture game to play involves the students guessing the names of the birds that the teacher presents on the overhead projector or in a picture slideshow. Another option is for students to draw pictures of birds and have other classmates guess what kind of bird they drew. A third game idea involving pictures is to play a matching game, in which worksheets contain one column of bird names and a second column of bird pictures, with the students drawing lines between the two columns to match the proper names with the birds.