Izzie lay on her back in the snow.
She and Nina were making snow angels while Miss Shelly set up the Kids Central activity.
The sky was clear and blue.
Izzie saw a red bird land on a tree branch.
"Tweet, tweet, tweet," she called to it.
"Nina, don't birds eat worms and bugs?" Izzie asked.
"Yes. I think so," Nina answered.
"Then what do they eat when there is snow on the ground?"
The girls thought about this.
They decided to ask Miss Shelly.
"You girls must have read my mind," Miss Shelly said.
"I was just going to ask you that question."
"You were?" Izzie said.
Miss Shelly blew her whistle.
Jason and Bobby stopped their snowball fight and came over.
"Birds usually eat worms, bugs, and berries.
But these things are hard to find in winter, right?" Miss Shelly said.
"It's too cold.
And there's so much snow!" Izzie said.
"People can help birds by putting out feeders.
Today we'll make bird feeders for the birds here on the playground," Miss Shelly said.
"Cool!" Izzie said. "How do we make them?"
"First find a pinecone by those pine trees over there."
Miss Shelly pointed to a row of trees on the edge of the playground.
Minutes later the kids came running back with their pinecones.
"Mine's the biggest!" Bobby shouted.
"Next choose a pipe cleaner.
Tie one end around the stem of your pinecone," Miss Shelly said.
"Pass me that green pipe cleaner please," Izzie said.
"Blue please," Jason said.
"I'm going to use a purple one," Nina said.
"Of course you are," said Bobby.
"What does that mean?" Nina asked.
"Nothing, Miss Purple." Bobby grinned.
"Now we roll the pinecones in peanut butter," Miss Shelly said.
"Whoa! It's so sticky!" Izzie cried.
"Exactly! We need the pinecones to be sticky so seeds will stick to them.
Next we roll them in birdseed," Miss Shelly said.
"It looks pretty!"
Izzie said, holding up her pinecone.
It was covered with different-colored seeds.
"So does mine!" Nina said.
"I hope that red bird eats from it," Izzie said.
"Well, let's hang up your bird feeders and find out," Miss Shelly said.
"Which tree should we hang them on?"
"That one." Izzie pointed to the tree where she had seen the red bird earlier.
Miss Shelly carried a ladder over to the tree and climbed up.
"Pass me your bird feeders please," she said.
Miss Shelly tied all the bird feeders onto separate branches.
Izzie thought they looked like ornaments on a Christmas tree.
"Now we sit, wait, and watch," Miss Shelly said.
They sat back down at the picnic table.
Miss Shelly poured everyone hot cocoa.
They all watched the tree.
"There it is!" Izzie whispered happily.
Izzie pointed to a red bird in the tree.
It hopped on a branch.
Then it flew down to peck at Izzie's pinecone.
"I'm going to name you Cherry," she said.
The bird took off into the sky.
"Good-bye, Cherry!
Come back soon."
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