TEACHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Bats are a mystery to most people. The popular image of bats with Halloween is truly a mythical perception. Most people have never even seen a bat and that is why there are many myths about them.

Bats are found al l over the United States and in most other countries of the world. Bats are the world's most important predators of night-flying insects. They eat mosquitoes and many of the bugs that destroy our crops. Without bats, the world would have far too many insects.

Most people have not seen a bat because they are nocturnal. They sleep during the day, hanging upside down. Many bats also hibernate in the cold winter months. They are also the only mammals that can fly. For this reason, many people think bats are birds. However, they are warm-blooded, have fur, and are born alive, which means they are not birds.

There are nearly a thousand different species of bats in the world. They are found on every continent in the world except Antartica. Bats come in many sizes and shapes. The largest bat in the world weighs two pounds and has a wingspan of six feet. The smallest is the size of a bumblebee and weighs less than a penny. They often live in caves, tall trees, bushes, barns, and fence-posts.

Bats can hunt and fly at night by using echolocation. Using only sound, bats can follow and catch prey in total darkness. When hunting, a bat knows an insect is near because the sound echoes and returns to the bat's ears. When the bat hears the echo, it can tell exactly where the insect is located. Not all bats use this system, some rely on sight and smell. Contrary to the popular myth that bats are blind, they are not.

Most bats are insect-eaters. Mostly those that live in tropical forests eat fruit or drink nectar from flowers. Very few bats are meat-eaters. They eat fish, frogs, mice, and birds. Bats do not drink human blood. However, the vampire bat does drink the blood of large mammals.

The Chinese view bats as a symbol of good luck and happiness. The "wu-fu" consists of five bats colored in red, the Chinese color of joy, and symbolizes the five blessings of health, long life, prosperity, love of virtue, and natural death.

The bones in a bat's wing are the same as those of the human arm and hand, but a bat's finger bones are elongated and support a tough, elastic membrane.

Bat houses can help protect bats from vandalism and habitat loss. Bat population has been declining and providing a shelter for bats can benefit the environment immensely.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

This thematic unit will be based on the bat. All the activities in this unit will be based around some characteristics or habits of the bat. Science, Math, Social Studies, Language Arts, and Art will be integrated into activities about the bat. Teachers using this unit will need to know about the bat's unique and interesting characteristics.

1. MAJOR CONCEPT

In this unit, students will learn many things about bats. In Science, students will learn about sound waves and echolocation. They will also compare a bat with a bird.

In Math, students will learn to measure by comparing the different wingspans of bats. They will also practice basic math computation.

In Social Studies, the students will discuss China by investigating their good luck symbol of the bat. Becoming familiar with a world map will also be done while researching where bats live.

In Language Arts, students will learn how to write a couplet using bats as the subject. Students will also practice creative writing.

In Art, the students will learn about the habitat of a bat by making a mural. They will also construct a model of a bat to make a mobile.

In general, students will need to use all information from the unit to do the Culminating Activities. The first will be to observe bats in their natural setting at the zoo. The second is to build a bat house and place it in an appropriate place.

 

1. OBJECTIVES
   1. The students will be able to tell the difference between bats and birds by completing the given worksheet with 100% success.
   2. The students will be able to describe a bat using the knowledge from the unit to write a couplet with detailed accuracy and in proper format.

1. LIST OF MATERIALS
   1. Science Project 1: glass pan, food coloring, eyedropper full of water, overhead projector, blindfold

      Science Project 2: chalkboard, "Bats Are Not Birds!" worksheet, pencil

   2. Math Project 1: meter stick, adding machine tape, markers, bat books

      Math Project 2: bat and insect cutouts, envelopes

   3. Social Studies Project 1: white paper, crayons, world map

      Social Studies Project 2: world map, paper, crayons, scissors, bat books

   4. Language Arts Project 1: paper, pencil

      Language Arts Project 2: large poster paper, markers

   5. Art Project 1: butcher paper, paint, paint brushes, sponges, smocks, newspaper

      Art Project 2: black construction paper, scissors, string, dowel, bat pattern

       

2. LIST OF REFERENCES
   1. FOR THE TEACHER

   Garcia, E. (1996). Secret of the Animal World: Bats, Ultrasonic

   Navigators. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing.

   Lundberg, K. (1996). Bats: Bat Magic for Kids. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth

   Stevens Publishing.

   Shebar, S. (1990). Bats. New York, NY: Franklin Watts.

   Stone, L. (1993). Bats: Nighttime Animals. Vero Beach, FL: The Rourke

   Corporation, Inc.

    

1. FOR THE STUDENT

Bland, C. (1997). Eyes on Nature: Bats. Chicago, IL: Kidsbooks, Inc.An informative and detailed description of the many kinds of bats and how they live.

Cannon, A. (1996). The Bat in the Boot. New York , NY: Orchard Books.Two kids find a bat in a boot on their porch. The kids take care of it until the mother bat returns to rescue her baby.

Cannon, J. (1993). Stellaluna. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace & Co.After a baby bat falls headfirst into a bird's nest, Stellaluna is raised like a bird until she is reunited with her mother.

Cole, J. (1996). The Magic School Bus Going Batty. New York, NY:Scholastic, Inc. Ms. Frizzle and her students board the Magic School Bus to learn about bats. Many facts about bats are presented during the field trip.

Earle, A. (1995). Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. Provides basic facts about the behavior of bats and describes how they benefit the environment.

Garcia, E. (1996). Secrets of the Animal World: Bats, Ultrasonic Navigators. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing. This book provides detailed information on the physical characteristics and behavior of bats.

Horowitz, R. (1991). Bat Time. New York, NY: MacMillan Publishing Co. Before She goes to bed, Leila shares a special moment with her father watching bats enjoying an insect feast in the backyard.

Lundberg, K. (1996). Bats: Bat Magic for Kids. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing. An informative picture book relates information about the life, habits, and natural history of bats.

Milton, J. (1994). Bats and Other Animals of the Night. New York, NY: Random House. A neighborhood comes alive with bats and other nocturnal animals.

Milton, J. (1993). Bats: Creatures of the Night. New York, NY: Grosset & Dunlap, Inc. Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, and habitats of different kinds of bats.

Stone, L. (1993). Bats: Nighttime Animals. Vero Beach, FL: The Rourke Corporations, Inc. Discusses the general habitats and physical characteristics of bats. It also describes some of the different kinds of bats.

 

1. CONTENT RELATED WORDS

Echo: bounces off.

Echolocation: also called a bat's "radar." Bats send out sounds that echo off the bats surrounding. This lets the bat know what is around him.

Hibernation: a state of inactivity in which most body functions slow down. Some bats hibernate during cold winter months.

Mammals: animals that have fur or hair, give birth to live young, and are warm-blooded.

Nocturnal: active primarily at night.

Predator: an animal that kills other animals for food.

Prey: an animal that is hunted by another animal.

Species: within a group of closely related living things.

Ultrasounds: sounds that humans cannot hear.

Wu-fu: Chinese good luck symbol composed of five bats.

1. PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS
   1. Science
      1. Project: The students will learn how bats use echolocation to hunt by watching sound waves and playing a game that simulates echolocation.
      2. Materials Needed: The Bat in the Boot by Annie Cannon, glass pan, food coloring, eyedropper full of water, overhead projector, blindfold
         1. Activity Steps in Order:
         2. Read The Bat in the Boot.
         3. Place a pan of water with food coloring in it on the overhead projector.
         4. Using the eyedropper, place a drop in the water, causing waves.
         5. Explain that this is similar to how sound waves travel through air.
         6. Have students form a large circle and assign several to be moths and one to be a bat. The remaining that form the circle are trees.
         7. Blindfold the bat and have him and the moths move around inside the circle.
         8. The bat will call out "Moth?" and the moths will answer "Moth!"
         9. The object of the game is for the bat to listen and tag as many moths as possible within an allotted amount of time. When a moth is tagged, she becomes a tree.
         10. If the bat wanders too close to the edge of the circle, the trees whisper "Tree! Tree!"
   2. Science
      1. Project: The students will be able to tell the difference between a bat and a bird through a book and a worksheet.
      2. Materials Needed: Stellaluna by Jannell Cannon, chalkboard, "Bats Are Not Birds!" worksheet
         1. Activity Steps in Order:
         2. Read Stellaluna.
         3. Ask students to name some differences between bats and birds that were in the story. List on chalkboard.
         4. Hand out "Bats Are Not Birds!" worksheet for students to complete
   3. Math
      1. Project: The students will find out the various wingspans of different bats and measure it out.
      2. Materials Needed: Bats: Creatures of the Night by Joyce Milton, meter stick, adding machine tape, markers, books that list bat wingspans.
         1. Activity Step in Order:
         2. Read Bats: Creatures of the Night.
         3. Divide students into groups of three. Assign a bat to each group. (Example: little brown bat, fruit bat, vampire bat)
         4. They are to find out the wingspan for the bat by researching in bat books.
         5. Have students measure out the amount on a strip of adding machine tape.
         6. Cut the strip the correct length and write the name of the bat and its wingspan on it.
         7. Post the strips in size order so everyone can compare.
   4. Math
      1. Project: The students will practice math skills using bats and insects as manipulatives.
      2. Materials Needed: Bat Time by Ruth Horowitz, bat and insect cutouts with math problems and answers on them, envelopes
         1. Activity Steps in Order:
         2. Read Bat Time.
         3. Assign students a partner.
         4. Give each pair an envelope with problems in it. (The bats can have an answer on it, like "5." The insect can have the problem, like "3+2.")
         5. Tell students to match the insect with the bat that has the correct answer on it.
   5. Social Studies
      1. Project: Students will make their own good luck sign, like the Chinese wu-fu symbol.
      2. Materials Needed: Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats by Ann Earle, white paper, crayons, world map
         1. Activity Steps in Order:
         2. Read Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats. Point out the wu-fu sign. Discuss what it means and the importance of the design.
         3. Find China on the map.
         4. Discuss other things that come from China.
         5. Have students make their own good luck sign, using the bat.
   6. Social Studies
      1. Project: The students will find and map where bats live in the world.
      2. Materials Needed: world map, paper, crayons, scissors, Nighttime Animals by Lynn Stone, Eyes on Nature: Bats by Celia Bland
      3. Activity Steps in Order:
      4. Assign students into eight groups: Latin America, Egypt, Australia, Asia, Africa, United States, Mexico, and Central America.
      5. Use the books listed above to find the type of bat that is found in their area.
      6. Draw a picture of it and cut it out.
      7. Have students tape their bat on the map in the appropriate place.
      8. Have groups give a brief description of their bat.
      9. Language Arts
      10. Project: The students will write a couplet about bats.
      11. Materials Needed: paper, pencil, The Magic School Bus Going Batty by Joanna Cole
          1. Activity Steps in Order:
          2. Read The Magic School Bus Going Batty.
          3. Explain what a couplet is. (A two-lined poem that rhymes.)
          4. Tell the students they will be writing a couplet about bats from what they heard in the book.
          5. Brainstorm to create a list of words rhyming with bat.
          6. Practice the process by giving students the first line: A small, black bat.
          7. Children create the second line of the couplet together. Example: A small, black bat was chasing a rat.
          8. Have students create their own first and second lines.
          9. Compile couplets to put into a class book.
   7. Language Arts
      1. Project: After reading Stellaluna, the students will design a "Wanted" poster to help find Stellaluna.
      2. Materials Needed: Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, large poster paper, markers
         1. Activity Steps in Order:
         2. Read Stellaluna.
         3. Explain that since Mama Bat wants to find her baby, one thing she could do is make a poster.
         4. Tell students they will help Mama Bat out by making these posters.
         5. Brainstorm about what should be on the poster.
         6. Make posters and hang.
   8. Art
      1. Project: The students will make a bat mural.
      2. Materials Needed: butcher paper, paint, paint brushes, sponges, smocks, newspapers, bat books
         1. Activity Steps in Order:
         2. Divide students into groups.
         3. Discuss the topics the groups might select to paint: bats in a cave, fruit bats hanging from a big tree, bats flying through the night sky, etc.
         4. Plan what the mural will contain. Have students use books as references.
         5. Plan painting area and clean-up rules. Cover the area with newspaper.
         6. When the mural is completed and dry, post it.
   9. Art
      1. Project: The students will make bat mobiles.
      2. Materials: Bats and Other Animals of the Night by Joyce Milton, black construction paper, scissors, string, dowel, bat pattern
         1. Activity Steps in Order:
         2. Read Bats and Other Animals of the Night.
         3. Explain that the children will make their own flying bats.
         4. Trace the bat pattern onto folded black construction paper and cut out.
         5. Fold wings outward along the dotted line.
         6. Have students make 2 or 3 of these and attach string to the center of the body and hang at different lengths to the dowel. Hang up.
2. CULMINATING ACTIVITIES
   1. The students will take a field trip to the zoo. This trip will allow the students to observe bats in their natural habitats.
   2. Build a bat house with the students. Have the students find out what materials they need and have them divide up the materials to bring to class. Discuss why a bat house is a good idea. Assign every student at least one task in building the house and discuss where the best place is to hang the house. Hang and observe.
3. EVALUATION
   1. The students will complete a worksheet that compares bats and birds. Their accuracy on this will determine if they know the difference between bats and birds.
   2. The students will write a couplet about bats. The completion of this poem in the proper format and the accuracy within it will determine their success.