Lights Out, Texas! 2024 Curriculum Pilot Project – August

Mei Ling Liu, Director of Lights Out Texas

Project Name:
Assist with piloting the Lights Out Texas Curriculum 3rd-5th or 6th- 8th grade

Project or Activity Description
Lights Out, Texas! is a campaign of education, awareness, and action that focuses on protecting
the billions of migratory birds traveling through Texas.

About Lights Out, Texas!
Lights Out, Texas! is a campaign of education, awareness, and action that focuses on protecting
the billions of migratory birds traveling through Texas.

Background Information
Texas is globally important for birds. Approximately 1 of every 3 birds migrating through the
U.S. in spring, and 1 of every 4 birds migrating through the U.S. in the fall, or nearly two billion
birds, passes through Texas in one of the planet’s great wildlife spectacles. Majority of North
American birds migrating travel at night! Unfortunately, light emanating from our cities can
disorient birds, leaving them confused and vulnerable to urban threats like collisions with
buildings. In fact, between one hundred million and one billion birds die every year in collisions
with manmade structures – one of the biggest killers of migratory birds.

The Lights Out, Texas! Campaign has gained interest among the public. To raise awareness of
the potential threats to birds and simple actions that can be taken at home, education was
considered an important approach to implement. The Lights Out, Texas! founding and
coordinating partners are working together to create two curricula that can be implemented at
the 3rd – 5th grade and 6th – 8th grade levels. The goal is to provide these resources online
free of charge and encourage teachers to implement the curriculum in class.

Tasks (Pilot the New Curriculum)

• Review and Provide Feedback: Evaluate the curriculum and share your insights to help
  refine it
• Adopt and Teach: Implement the curriculum in your classroom and experience its
  benefits firsthand

Grade Level:
3rd – 5th
6th – 8th

Target Audience:

1. Educators
2. A Master Naturalist who are also a school teacher and is interested in assisting to review
   the curriculum or implement
   Lights Out, Texas!
   2024 Curriculum Pilot Project
   August, 2024

The Needs, Timelines and Hours Required:

• Stage one (During August 2024 – December 2024)
  o Tasks: Help review curriculum
  o Hours Required: 8-15 hours
• Stage Two: (September 2024 – December 2024)
  o Tasks: 1. Conduct a pilot project with students by implementing the Lights Out,
  Texas Curriculum (either 3rd-5th or 6th – 8th )
  o Task 2: Provide feedback to the curriculum design teams after implementation
  o Hours Required: 15 hours in teaching and preparing the materials
• Stage three (During January 2025 – ongoing)
  o Tasks: Teach Lights Out, Texas curriculum in school
  o Hours Required: 15+ hours in teaching and preparing the materials

Lights Out, Texas! Curriculum Modules
The curriculum contains three modules:

• Module One: Why Birds Matter
  • Subject covered: The importance of birds in the ecosystem; bird habitats
• Module Two: Bird Migration and Light Pollution
  • Subject: Bird migration patterns, the impact of light pollution on birds.
• Module Three: Lights Out, Texas campaign and How to Help Birds
  • Subject covered: Glass reflection, an overview of the Lights Out, Texas!
    Campaign, actions individuals can take to help protect birds

Organizations Involved:
3rd – 5th: Created by Travis Audubon & Defenders of Wildlife
6th – 8th: Designed by Texas Conservation Alliance
Overview: Audubon Texas

Contact: Mei Ling Liu, Meiling@tcatexas.org