Elizabeth Dickens began teaching monthly bird study classes at the Block Island Schools in 1911. She taught students in all grades how to identify birds by their plumage, calls and flight patterns. When the weather permitted, Miss Dickens took classes on walks around the island, identifying birds she or students observed. Students were encouraged to keep a list of birds they saw on the island during the month between classes. Miss Dickens continued these bird study classes until 1960, when Merrill Slate continued the program. The bird walks were discontinued in 1976.

Currently, the bird study program is taught at the Block Island School by Scott Comings of the Nature Conservancy. The program includes information about Elizabeth Dickens and the bird collection, bird families and adaptations. When weather and scheduling permit, students are taken to different island locations to observe birds in their natural habitat. All students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, receive some level of instruction.

The fourth grade unit serves as an example of how the program is taught. Each student selects one bird and determines the date the bird was added to the collection. This becomes "their" bird for the unit that is taught each spring. The children research many aspects of their bird species. Additionally, the student determines where on the island the bird was found, who found it and, when possible, the cause of death, thus demonstrating the connection between the bird and island history. Each child learns everything he or she can and writes a book about that bird. The books are displayed with the birds for the coming year. In this way the child becomes an expert on one particular species. Researching the birds and sharing their findings with other students gives all students in the class exposure to the wide range of bird families common to Block Island. An equally important outcome is an increased appreciation for Block Island’s unique environment.