Poor misunderstood bats! They're mammals with a nasty rep that is undeserved. They fly (but not into people's hair). They hang upside down. They're better than sprays at controlling bugs. To people who don't know their true story, everything about bats is surprising.

Bat Conservation International has a Web site at http://www.batcon.org/. Go to this site and read about bats. Try to answer these questions.

• The bat is the only mammal that has achieved powered flight. What do bats rely on for navigation?
  
  
  
• How many species of bats are there?
  
  
  
• Bats play an important role in keeping down the number of insects in some places. How much can bats eat?
  
  
  
• What are some good reasons to protect bats? Think about this: What happens to the number of insects in an area when the number of bats there goes down?
  
  
  
• People can build houses for bats. What can you find out about bat houses?
  
  

Extension Activity

Travel to http://www.lhs.berkeley.edu. Go to Kids' Corner and click on "Bat Quiz." Write down your answers and use the links to check them. What is the weirdest fact about bats that you can find? Record the source. Compare your fact with those your classmates find. Do you still believe bats are bad?

Teacher's Notes

Bats Teacher's Notes
Grade Levels: 3–6
Learning Objectives:

• To investigate information about bats
• To find relevant information in a Web site
• To use links to conduct an Internet search
  

Time Required: 1 class period