Welcome to the Queens County Heritage
For The Birds
virtual exhibition!
In 1997 Queens County Heritage received a collection of bird specimens prepared by a local woman, Leora Simpson (1856-1951). Miss Simpson was descended from Loyalists on her mother's side and members of her family were long-time residents of Gagetown and Queens County. Besides serving as the local postmistress, Miss Simpson also had an interest in natural history and science, and taxidermy and birds specifically. Upon her death in 1951, the collection and original cabinets were bequeathed to the local school. In 1997 the collection was given to Queens County Heritage and consists of over 100 specimens featuring several species of hawks, owls, ducks, geese, songbirds, shorebirds and others. As a reflection of the natural heritage of Queens County, the Simpson Bird Collection is a premier example. It showcases not only the talents of a woman in a period when females did not seek employment outside the home, but also captures the environmental heritage of our region. For the Birds was the signature summer exhibition at the Court House in 2013 which featured selections from the Simpson Collection.
Explore pages about the collector, Miss Simpson, find birds common to our area, and don't miss the special learning section for lessons and activities!
Enjoy!
New Brunswick educators are pleased to share these learning resources created for the For the Birds virtual exhibition. Although these teaching resources are based on New Brunswick curriculum, they are intended to reach beyond New Brunswick schools to all interested educators within this exhibition's audience.
Student exploration of New Brunswick birds, as illustrated in this virtual exhibition, can be easily linked across the curriculum to include social studies, language arts, science and art; the areas covered by the featured lesson plans.
All learning resources may be altered to meet the individual needs of a school, differenct students or alternative teaching styles. Learning resources include unit plans and individual lessons.
Queens County Heritage invites you to download and use these shareable resources:
Science Grade 6 Birds of a Feather - Bird Watching Journal
Social Studies Grade 6 Flock Together - Bird Migration
Mathematics Grade 7 Here a Chick, There a Chick - Bird Math
Art Grades 9-10 Birds in Art
English Grades 9-10 Ode to a Feathered Friend - Bird Poems
BBT Grade 10 Photoshop Exercise - Bird Imaging
Science Grade 10 Bird Profiling
Biology Grade 11 Taxidermy Meets Taxonomy
Social Studies Grade 12 Leaving the Nest - Bird Population Study
Social Studies Grade 12 Blown Away - Birds and Wind Turbines