Process

Learning about bats



 * Preparing for research**
 * 1.** Your teacher will give you a partner to work with.


 * 2.** Fill out your Thinking about Bats chart with your partner.

• What kind of creature is a bat? • How many of the world's mammals are bats? • What size is the smallest bat? • Do all bats use echolocation? • What are two other interesting things you learned? Record your answers on your research chart.
 * Selecting Information (accessing resources)**
 * 3.** Watch the video for a brief introduction to the wonderful world of bats! Listen to answer these questions:

Click [|here] to watch the video.


 * 4.** Follow the links to read all about bats. Use your research organizer chart to record information about bat bodies, babies, food, homes, echolocation and other cool facts.

Check out the amazing bat **body** [|here]. Label the bat body. This will also help you when you are drawing bats for your slideshow or making them form plasticene for your diorama.
 * Learn about babies [|here]:
 * Find out about the surprising variety of foods that bats eat [|here].
 * To learn about the different homes that bats have, click [|here].
 * Learn about **echolocation** [|here].

• http://tinyurl.com/6869jx • http://www.thewildones.org/animal.html#mammals • http://tinyurl.com/3aotzl Check out the sound of the bat here, too!
 * 5.** Read about the different threats to bats by clicking on the sites below: You will need to choose a bat to study and let your teacher know so you will be the expert for that bat. Using the chart your teacher has given you write down the name of your bat, its' weight and size and its' habitat. List the threats (dangers) the bat faces and conservation efforts (how people help protect them).

Make a list on how bats help us and why they are important. You'll find some information [|here]. You can also include information from the sites above. And you can check these books on bats too: • Greenway, Frank: //Amazing Bats// • Kalman, Bobbie: //Endangered Bats// Be sure to write beside jot notes  the book name, page and author to keep track of where your information came from.
 * Understanding (Processing)**
 * 6.** With your partner, talk about the different dangers you have read about and listed.
 * Sharing (Transferring)**
 * 7.** Check the list in the evaluation section for what you need to include in your diorama or slide show and how to give a presentation.


 * 8.** Don't forget to fill out your self-evaluation sheet and do one for a friend.

Take the bat facts quiz or do a crossword puzzle all about bats: http://www.batcon.org/educatorsk/kidzcave.asp#
 * Some other fun things to do:**

And for even more on bats: [|http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/subjects/mammals/bat/]