Going Batty!
If you go outdoors on a summer's night, you'll probably see some bats overhead as they hunt for mosquitos. Don't be afraid; bats rarely go near people. They're too busy finding their dinner!
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED
- black construction paper
- safety scissors
- white craft glue
- a hole-puncher
- yarn
HERE'S WHAT TO DO
Nancy F. Castaldo is the author of many books packed with inspiring ideas for childhood discovery and
learning. In addition to the three titles above, Nancy has written activity guides for teaching children
ages 6 to 9 about the ocean, rainforests, deserts, and rivers. All of these titles are published by
Chicago Review Press.
Click
here to learn about these books and others by Nancy Castaldo.
|
|
Cut two circles of the same size out of the black construction paper. (If you teach very young students, you might provide pre-cut circles.)
Cut one circle in half, using a zig-zag cut.
To create bat wings, glue a zig-zag half-circle to each side of the whole circle. Attach a piece of yarn to hang it up.
MORE FUN!
Involve students in some of these extension activities:
Some people think that bats are a kind of bird, but they are not. What is the same about a bird and a bat? What is different? Read aloud Stellaluna by Janell Cannon so students might hear this story of a fruit bat that lived with a bird family.
Learn all about bats in Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats by Ann Earle.
FUN FACT
Bats hunt for their food using a system almost like radar. They send out sound wave signals and then, depending on how
the sound waves bounce back, they can tell how near something is. This system is so finely tuned that bats can
find flying mosquitoes. In fact, each bat can eat about 600 mosquitoes in an hour! Now, that's a bat with a big
appetite.
ANOTHER RESOURCE
Education World's special Halloween Lesson Archive
ACTIVITY SOURCE
This activity is excerpted from Nancy Castaldo's Rainy Day Play, which is published by Chicago Review Press. This lesson idea is one of more than 65 imaginative activities from Rainy Day Play that are sure to inspire children as they discover and learn.
About the Author
A native of New York's Hudson
Valley, Nancy Castaldo earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Marymount College and a Master of
Arts from the State University of New York. As an environmental educator, author, and Girl Scout volunteer
and board member, Castaldo has led numerous children's workshops. Her school programs include workshops
on ocean creatures and other nature topics, creative writing, and pizza making/Italy. She has conducted
programs at the Boston Children's Museum, Atlanta Zoo, and Tennessee Aquarium. Castaldo's books include
River Wild: An Activity Guide to North American Rivers; Oceans: An Activity Guide for Ages 6-9;
Deserts: An Activity Guide for Ages 6-9; and Rainforests: An Activity Guide for Ages 6-9.
She is also author of a historical-fiction picture book, Pizza for the Queen. To learn more
about Nancy and her books, check out her Web site, www.nancycastaldo.com.
|
|
Article by Nancy Castaldo
Education World®
Copyright © 2006 Education World
08/07/2006