We recommend you visit the Royal Albatross Centre, Dunedin.
They have school programmes primary to secondary students.
Website www.albatross.org.nz
Email reservations@albatross.org.nz
Phone 03-478 0499

Please note: The lesson plans linked to below were developed by Wakefield University Albatross Project, based on the Layson Albatross, Hawaii. They can be applied to other albatross species.

Awesome Albatross Art
Lesson Plan: Albatross eye shadow
Lesson Plan: How big are your wings?
Lesson Plan: Adaptable mandibles

Class Activity: Make or paint an albatross - illustrate the magnificence of the albatross!
The wingspan of the Royal albatrosses are about 3.5 metres. This is a wondrous thing for children to discover and have fun with through art. Be sure to make or paint the albatross in a place where children can measure themselves against the wingspan. You can use the image below to show how big the albatross is compared to your students. The armspan of this boy is 1.5 metres, the Royal albatross wingspan is 3.5metres.

Class Activity: Numbers, numbers, numbers. You can use them to learn about the albatross!
You could...
Learn the wingspan of some albatrosses and compare them to other things - like you!
Discover how many albatross species there are and how many of each species.

Superb Science Study
Through science you get to learn all about the albatross - hoorah!

Are you studying endangered species? Choose the albatross!

You can use the Albatross Fact Sheet on this website and the recommended websites to help. At the end of your albatross study you will know all about the albatross and be able to answer all of these questions...

1. Is the albatross a bird?
2. Where do albatross live?
3. What do albatrosses eat?
4. When does the albatross feed?
5. When do albatrosses sleep?
6. When do albatrosses breed?
7. Do albatrosses breed with the same partner for life?
8. How long does it take for an albatross egg to hatch?
9. How long does it take to reer an albatross chick?
10. How often do albatrosses breed?
11. How do you tell a male from a female?
12. Are albatrosses endangered?
13. What is killing the albatrosses?
14. Who and what is helping to save the albatrosses
15. What else needs to be done to save the albatross from extinction?
      --That's a lot to learn... you had better start your albatross study now!--

Lesson Plan: How big are your wings?
Lesson Plan: Adaptable mandibles
Lesson Plan: Graph-A-Tross
Lesson Plan: Walk a mile in albatross shoes

Super Social Science Stuff
Social science looks at how people interact with the world around them. Some human activity impacts very badly on the natural environment and animals. And there are some people who become heros helping to make things better.

Through social science your students can study how some groups of people are making a BIG difference - and meet some heros along the way.

Lesson Plan: Graph-A-Tross
Lesson Plan: Walk a mile in albatross shoes
Lesson Plan: Where in the world am I? - Latitude and Longitude

Terrific Technology
There is technology being used to prevent albatross deaths. But more inventions are needed to reduce albatross deaths from fishing. In class learn about this technology and invent your own.

Links about albatross technology
On this site - Albatross Danger page
Forest and Bird website - Albatross fact sheet
BirdLife International - Albatross death solutions
BirdLife South Africa - Website