In science we just finished up a unit on bats. And, I have to tell you, it was one of the most informative science lessons I have ever had! I use to hate bats. And, now, I love them sooooo much, I am asking hubby to build a bat house in the backyard!
Interesting information I have learned about bats:
There are basically two types: Ones that live here and eat insects and ones that live in tropical climates and eat fruit.
They eat THOUSANDS of mosquitoes in one night!
They are key stone species, which means if they cease to exist, it affects other living things.
Echolocation is way cool.
They fly with their "hands."
They use their "thumbs" to clean out their ears.
They don't fly like birds so they hang upside down in trees and then let go to fly.
Mama bats can pick out their young, by smell, from a bat "nursery" that houses sometimes up to a million babies called pups.
The kids, today, did an experiment. I took 10 cotton balls and put 10 different odors on them. Everything from toothpaste to vinegar. Then the picked out a smell they wanted to find. I mixed up the cotton balls, put a blind fold on them and let them sniff away. Only one of the three kids was able to find "their" cotton ball. It was trying to represent what a hard job a mama bat has to find her pup.
I love when I learn with them . . .
5 comments:
Ha, great pictures :)
PLEASE do not build a bat house in the back yard. :)
Okay you are the coolest teacher ever! Your kids will NEVER forget how bats find their babies bc of this activity and how fun! Now I wanna try it myself!! Great idea!!!
Sissy, we are getting a bat house. ;)
MB, thanks for the great compliment!! You made my week!!
We have tons of them around here! We used to watch them fly back and forth at dusk around our sky. Not as many the last few years, but fascinating to watch. If you ever need a field trip, just come on up!
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