Verbs at the National Aviary

Practice verb usage at the National Aviary.  You can have your child practice use of future tense verbs by asking her what things she thinks the animals will be doing.  Then, have her practice present tense verbs by having her narrate what the animals are currently doing when you see them at the aviary.  Finally, practice past tense verbs by having her tell you what she saw the animals doing once she has left the aviary.  For more fun at home, play a game of charades where you and your child act out verbs that the animals performed at the aviary.

Some verbs that you may practice include:

1. Fly

2. Perch

 3. Eat

 4. Swim

 

 5. Screech

 

 6.  Cuddle

7. Look

8. Preen

 

 9. Sleep

 

10. Flap

11. Sit

 12. Chirp

 13. Drink

 14. Stare

 

 15. Nest

 

 16. Hang

17. Sleep

 

 18. Call

19. Sing

20. Play

To cue your child to use verbs in the future tense,  a good rule of thumb is to say that something "will" happen.  For example, "The bird will chirp."  For the present tense, subject-verb structure is helpful.  For example, "The bird chirps," (in this case we add "-s" to the verb); or "The bird is chirping," (in this case we insert "is" before the verb, and "ing" to the end of the verb).  For the past tense, subject-verb structure is also helpful.  For example, "The bird chirped."  (The key with many regular verbs is to add "-ed" to end of the word.)  The "rules" for verb usage can be confusing, and are not easily taught.  Rather, think of language as an instrument you play by ear (as my AP Language instructor taught us in high school).  Practicing the same structure over and over will help your child learn.  Of course, modeling proper grammar is key so that your child will "absorb" the rules.

Image retrieved from: 1. http://www.aviary.org/birds-and-exhibits 2. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crax_globulosa_at_the_National_Aviary_3.jpg 3. http://www.expedia.com/National-Aviary-Pittsburgh.d6078697.Vacation-Attraction 4.http://www.zelaphas.com/10-photo-tuesday-pittsburgh-aviary/ 5. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/cities/pittsburgh.htm 6. http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2013/12/27/Penguin-chicks-debut-at-National-Aviary/stories/201312270134 (photo credit Bob Donaldson) 7. http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g53449-d272390-i88778856-National_Aviary-Pittsburgh_Pennsylvania.html (photo credit Bethany Leigh Photography) 8.
http://www.duqsm.com/tag/fun-things-to-do-in-pittsburgh/ 9. http://www.flickr.com/photos/beyonddc/11282634754/ 10. http://www.post-gazette.com/news/science/2013/03/20/Let-s-Talk-About-Birds-Spring-is-in-the-air/stories/201303200155 11. http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g53449-d272390-i70207664-National_Aviary-Pittsburgh_Pennsylvania.html 12. http://chasingmailboxes.com/2013/11/08/if-it-quacks-like-a-duck-coffeeneuring-in-pittsburgh-with-sr-part-2-of-2/ 13. http://www.theredheadedtraveler.com/2012/06/pittsburgh-national-aviary.html 14. biddingforgood.com 15. http://www.flickr.com/photos/welshby/5109319977/ 16. http://jasmineblog.wordpress.com/2007/12/ 17. http://www.aviary.org/cloudforest 18. http://www.thermalbirding.com/2011/10/national-aviary-photos/ 19. http://mobarrett.net/photos/domestic/2005/04_pittsburgh/ 20. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Guaruba_guarouba_-National_Aviary_-USA-6-2c.jpg