• Smithsonian's Notable Books for Children, 1997! "The true story of biologist Steve Kress's dream—to restore the habitat on two Maine islands and reestablish Atlantic puffins there—is by turns suspenseful, informative and heartening. A separate and equally admirable teacher's guide is also available." —Smithsonian Magazine
• Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children for 1998! "Journey to Egg Rock, Maine, to learn how biologist Stephen Kress and his team of scientists successfully reintroduced puffins to the island's bird population. Discover fascinating facts about puffins, as well as the scientific processes the team used to solve complex problems. Revealing photographs accompany detailed narrative." —Children’s Book Council/NSTA
• Los Angeles' 100 Best Books: 1997! "Documents the successful attempt to reestablish puffin colonies off the Maine coast in Project Puffin, demonstrating that hard work and dedication can have a positive impact on the environment." —Los Angeles Unified School District Library Services
• "Way to go, Project Puffin! What a great story about a person doing something to help our fellow creatures. Welcome back, puffins!" —Martin Kratt, Kratts’ Creatures
• "Educationally sound, [the teacher's guide] offers a wide variety of experiences to enhance and enrich the student's understanding of puffins, sea birds and the oceans.... This is a marvelous and fun resource." —Appraisal
• "Delight and wonder can nourish in a child a lifelong commitment to preserving Planet Earth. Project Puffin...is a book that ought to confirm a child's delight in these seabirds. It is the true story of one man's vision and devotion." —Audubon Magazine
• "Illustrated by vivid photographs, it is an inspirational story beautifully told...The [teacher's] guide is well-organized, with considerable background information for teachers." —Green Teacher
• ". . . a worthy classroom companion. . . . Photographs of puffins in every conceivable attitude breeze through the book, making the text's enthusiasm understandable." —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
• "Kress provides a detailed description of the struggles and--eventual successes... encountered during the project. Combined with a helpful teacher's guide packed with activities, Project Puffin helps kids gain knowledge about sea birds, food chains and important ways to help preserve the environment for wildlife." —E: The Environmental Magazine

Here are more than 40 creative, hands-on activities: art projects, role-playing, wildlife observations, science demonstrations, running games, and more. The guide is organized into seven major themes, including seabird adaptations, the marine ecosystem, human impact on the environment, people making a difference for wildlife, and more. Includes annotated bibliographies and Internet resources.

Teachers Take Note:
Project Puffin will provide students with a step-by-step description of an imaginative project which restored puffins in a way that had never been tried before. Students will be intrigued with the methods these scientists used and inspired to think of how they can make efforts on behalf of other animals.

Project Puffin will help inspire classroom conversations about:
• Puffins and their special adaptations to ocean life
• Marine ecosystems
• Observation skills and scientific endeavors
• Careers in environmental protection

Resources:
• Ornithological resources
The National Audubon Society: Includes information about Audubon's many programs and publications, including details on Steve Kress's most recent work with the common murres at Devil's Slide Rock off the coast of California. http://www.audubon.org
Tweeters: This is a wonderful link to all sorts of information on birds of all types. A lot to explore here! http://weber.u.washington.edu/dvictor
Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Information about their resources and programs, including "Citizen Science" volunteer projects (Project FeederWatch, Classroom FeederWatch) their Library of Natural Sounds, and more. http://www.birds.cornell.edu

Activity:
Why Puffins Don't Freeze

Objective: To feel how a layer of fat helps insulate the body from the chilling effects of cold water.

Materials:
• A can or two of Crisco shortening
• A dozen or more quart-sized, zipping plastic bags
• Duct tape
• Several basins of icy cold water

Method: Measure one cup of shortening and place it in a quart-sized zipping plastic bag. Turn a second bag inside out and put it inside the bag with the shortening, being sure to reverse the zipper tracks. Zip the bags together. For added protection, seal the bags around the zipper with duct tape. Push the shortening around, from the outside, to distribute it evenly in the "mitt."

For each mitt with shortening, make an empty mitt, without shortening. These mitts will be used to compare with the insulated models.

Give each student a chance to place one hand in an empty mitt and one in an insulated mitt (with the shortening). Then ask the students to place both hands in a basin or sink of icy, cold water. What happens? (Since this process doesn't take very long, you can get by with making only a few sets of mitts and taking turns with them.)

Discussion: While it is well-known that marine mammals such as whales, seals, and polar bears have thick layers of fat to help keep them warm, northern seabirds such as puffins also rely on internal layers of fat to help them survive frigid arctic waters. This fat, combined with their external water-repelling and air-trapping coat of feathers, allows seabirds to live in a seemingly harsh environment. (Older students could research other adaptations to the cold, for birds as well as other life forms.)