Bat Day

In our school, we don't celebrate "Halloween".  Instead we have a theme day based on content related to the holiday.  Each year it is different.  Our theme days have included skeletons, pumpkins, creepy crawlies, potions, and spiders.  This year, the theme is bats.

I love this idea because it relates to the spirit of Halloween, but the students get so much more out of it than having a Halloween party with cookies or cupcakes.

Most of the day is planned by our wonderful PTO.  Depending on the theme, they plan guest speakers, crafts, experiments, or hands-on activities.  The teachers plan the remainder of the day with theme-based lessons. 

In preparation for the day, I've come across some really neat resources.  Who better to share them with than my blogging friends!


"A Bat in the Brownie" 

This 26 minute, PBS Learning Media video covers bat ecology, predators, insects, echolocation, and general info about bats in an animated story.  It is from the series Wild Kratts and is listed for Grades 1-4.  

The Echolocation Game

Bookmark this game on your classroom computers.  The bat in the game uses echolocation to avoid trees and find food while flying at night.  

Wild Detectives: Hanging Out with Bats

This is a brief National Geographic video that foes under the cover of darkness to discover the secret of bats. 

Adopt A Bat

I LOVE this idea.  For $30, a classroom can sponsor a bat in need. The webpage shows several "adoptees" that you can click on and read more about their journey and how they ended up at the Bat World Sanctuary.  Their bio also includes a video of them.  I think we will be adopting a bat!  

Corwin's Quest: Bats

The Flight of the Mexican Free Tail Bat - The Congress Ave. Bridge creates the perfect habitat for this bat in Austin, TX.  Over two million bats live here.  I have see this in person and it is amazing!  

Bat Printouts

Enchanted Learning offers a variety of bat printouts and activities. There's even more if you are a subscriber. 

The Story of Echo the Bat

After students read the story, they are sent on a mission to follow Echo to his hibernation cave.  Students use maps and satellite images to follow Echo.  This web quest is created by NASA. 

I hope you find something you can use if you are studying bats.  

And I'll let you know which bat we end up adopting!