Bats- Second grade integrated unit

This unit is for a second grade classroom and explores bats.
Science: Children will learn about how bats communicate through echolocation. They will also learn that bats are flying mammals and have the opportunity to compare bats to birds.
Math: Children will explore the size of all different types of bats in inches. They will also learn about bat populations in different areas of the world.
Geography: Children will learn the local bats (Little Brown Bats) and learn about other bats found in different countries.
Art: Children will create pictures of a little brown bat and label its body parts. We will also focus on the color of bats

Literature: Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats by: Ann Earle/Henry Cole
The Magic School Bus in the Bat Cave by Jeanette Lane
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
Daft Bat by: Jeanne Willis/ Tony Ross

Objectives:
Bats are flying mammals
Bats use echolocation in order to communicate
Bats help out environment by eating insects and protecting crops
Explore and learn the parts of a bat
Compare Bats to Birds / Bats to humans


Lesson #1 Intro to Bat Lesson
Grade: 2
Time: 30 – 45minutes
Space: Start at meeting on rug – move to desk – back to rug
Materials: Journals, writing utensils, Magic school bus book, large graph paper
Objectives:
For children to be introduced and gain a better understanding of bats
For children to learn that bats are mammals
For children to learn that bats are the only mammals that can fly
Prior Knowledge: None
Brief Procedure:
1. Meet down on the rug
2. Talk to the children about the new unit we are starting on bats!
3. Ask the students if they know anything about bats. Write the things that they know on big graph paper. (KWL Chart)
4. Read the book the Magic School Bus in the Bat Cave. Prompt children to listen for things that they find interesting about bats
5. After the story, as the students what they thought. Have a few children share something that they learned about bats
6. Have children go back to their desks and write three things they learned about bats into their journals. Then have them write questions they want to know about bats.
7. Prompt children to meet back at the rug. Have children share what they learned about bats and write it on the chart. Then write what they want to know as well on the KWL chart.
8. Keep this chart up for the whole unit on bats. Encourage students to share and write their ideas when they have them!
Application: For children to start to recognize bats at night and know that they are mammals like themselves.
Assessment: Look over the student’s journals to make sure they completed the assignment. Use what they want to learn as a basis for some activities in the classroom

**The Magic School Bus In a Bat Cave is a great book to use as an introduction to bats. It starts off by having the children in the classroom discuss the broad topic of bats and then it takes the children on an exploration/adventure. It is an interactive story that can really engage the children.


Lesson #2 Comparing Bats to Birds
Grade: 2
Time: 30 – 45 min
Space:Rug
Materials: Stellaluna, graph paper, markers
Objectives:
For children to be introduced and find the differences between a bat and a bird
For children to use the literature and story as a tool for comparison
Breif procedure:
1. Meet down on the floor for circle
2. Say, “Yesterday we read the magic school bus and learned a lot of new information about bats. One of the things we learned is that bats are mammals. We are mammals too! We also learned that bats fly just like birds, but are very different. Today we are going to make a chart that is like the one in Ms. Frizzles classroom comparing birds and bats
3. Read Stellaluna
4. As a whole group, compare differences between birds and bats. Put all the information up on a big graph chart.
5. Have students go back to their desks when down to write this information in their journals. Allow them time to draw pictures of both animals.
Application: For children to notice the differences between mammals and birds.
Assessment: Information copied into their journals. Participation in large group will also be observed.

** Stellaluna is a great story about a bat that is raised with birds. This book works great for this lesson because it helps in comparing the differences while including a really nice story. The illustrations are really engaging for children as well.


Lesson #3 Parts of a Bat
Grade: 2
Time: 30 – 40 min
Location: At their desks
Materials: unlabeled bat picture, Zipping Zapping Zooming Bats, Pencils and crayons
Objectives:
For children to learn the parts of a bat
For children to gain a better understanding of what makes a bat a mammal
Breif Procedure:
1. Meet down on the rug
2. “Yesterday we read Stellaluna and learn about how bats are different then birds. Today, we are going to explore all the different body parts of a bat! Does anyone know any body parts?
3. Read Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats. Then have children go back to desk
4. Using an overhead projector, label the parts of the bat with the children. Then have them color them in
5. Create a spot for children to put them on the wall
Application: To have the knowledge of what parts make up a bat
Assessment: Completion of diagram
** Zipping Zapping Zooming Bats by Ann Earle is a book with a lot of interesting facts written and illustrated in a way that children can understand. This book serves as a great tool for doing the parts of the bat because it spends a lot of time focusing on them.

Two other lessons in brief:

Math: Have children find things in the classroom that are the actual size of a little brown bat. (1 to 3in) Do this with other bats. Provide children with rulers and have them record and share their findings.

Literature: Read the book Daft Bat by: Jeanne Willis – Have children write and illustrate their own story about being a bat.

**Daft Bat is a story about how the bat sees the world from an upside perspective when it is hanging. The other animals don’t quite understand why this bat thinks everything is backwards until they “step in his shoes” and hand upside down themselves. This book can really help children with doing illustrations and creating their own story.