Bat Day

Objective:
The students will explore the different measures bat preservationists are taking to save bats from becoming extinct.

Materials

• A book (Bats! Strange and Wonderful by Laurence Pringle, for example) or web links which discuss bat preservation.  A good link for information is Bat Conservation International (The information is presented at an adult level, but there are good photographs to show the students.)
• Large pieces of paper.
• Writing utensil, such as crayons, markers, and colored pencils.
• Protect the Bats Worksheet (optional).

Procedure

1. Read the book or paraphrase the information given at the web site.
2. The main points to discuss are:
   - Some people are building bat houses.
   - Some people are making bridges good roosting places for bats.
   - Some people are putting grill work on old mines and caves to keep people out, but still provide a safe place for bats.
   - Some people have set up nature preserves to protect large groups of bats.
   - In addition, mention the things people should not do which can harm bats, i.e. hurting them, driving them from their homes, polluting, etc.
3. Allow the students to create posters with "Save The Bats" messages.
4. As an alternative, have the students complete the Protect the Bats Worksheet.

Other Lesson Ideas

1. Visit the following web link Bat Species, view photographs of different species of bats and locate their homes on maps.
2. Have a lesson on the continents (bats live on every continent, except Antarctica).