I’ve never taken part in the Great Backyard Bird Count but it sounds like an interesting way to learn about collecting data and become part of a greater group contributing to knowledge about bird population trends. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has partnered with the National Audubon Society on a project that includes the contributions of novice bird watchers to experts—me and you, and our students! See the Great Backyard Bird Count website for the simple instructions on how you and your class can participate. There is a “Learn about Birds” section with tips on identifying birds.
The ten most commonly reported bird species last year were:

1. Northern Cardinal
2. Mourning Dove
3. Dark-eyed Junco
4. Downy Woodpecker
5. American Goldfinch
6. Blue Jay
7. House Finch
8. Tufted Titmouse
9. Black-capped Chickadee
10. American Crow

Have you seen any of those bird species lately? A flock of Mourning Doves have been resting on the ground among the rhododendrons in front of my house (my neighbor fills her feeders daily), startling me by suddenly flying up all together when I open the front door. So I know where I’ll find my first five birds on February 13!
Bird-shape rubbings are an easy way for young children to make accurate body shape drawings. They can fill in the details after completing the rubbing.
Once they start looking at birds, children will soon be pointing out the small brown ones and the large black ones, the red birds and the big white ones, otherwise known as sparrows, crows, cardinals, and gulls.
Cut out this mourning dove shape (30 centimeters/12 inches long) from old cereal boxes or poster board and help your students choose appropriate colors to make a rubbing that reflects what they see in nature. (Click on the photo to see larger version.)
The shapes of additional birds can be made by enlarging photos of birds to their actual size (see lengths listed in identification books) and cut from cardboard. Later children can make a fanciful bird, perhaps a pink crow with blue wings!
Be aware that book illustrations showing groupings of birds in perspective—those farther away pictured smaller—may confuse children about the actual or relative size of different species. I like the way  Counting is for the Birds by Frank Mazzola Jr. (1997, Charlesbridge Publishing) combines counting and identifying east coast bird species that often visit a feeder. Feathers for Lunch by Lois Elhert (1990, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich) illustrates the dangers of allowing cats to have access to a bird feeder while introducing 12 species.
Some birding groups offer online identification guides, such as that of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Environmental Education Program about the refuge in Ridgefield, Washington on the Columbia River floodplain. It’s exciting to see the details of the birds revealed by the photographs.
Whatever the weather on February 13, I think I can count birds for 15 minutes. The online bird photos are already identified but birds outdoors present a challenge.
Peggy