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Background

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Habitat is defined as an area that is lived in by a particular species.  Habitats are needed for any organism to survive and reproduce.  In this lesson, bats are the focus of habitat changes.  The San Francisco Bay Area has a low population of bats due to the decline in insect population from chemical spraying.  In this case, the habitat has been changed by humans and affects the entire community of plants and animals.

Students play “Environment Hopscotch” to learn about habitat changes.

Vocabulary

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Habitat:  an area that is lived in by a particular species

Attention Grabber

Raise your hand if you suffered an itch from a mosquito. Did you know that a single bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour?

Have students read some other fun facts about bats.  Here are some examples of facts:

• Bats are warm-blooded animals.
• Bats nurse their young.
• Bats have fur.
• Bats have 4 fingers and a thumb!  Just like YOU!
• Bats eat insects, frogs, fruit, and small mammals.  Different bats eat different things!
• Bats are nocturnal.  This means they are awake at night and sleep during the day.

Garden Activity   

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• Start by having students image they are bats.  Ask, “Do you think a garden or forest would be a good place for us to live?” and “What about a parking lot or a street with only buildings on it?”

• Play Environment Hopscotch:
  • Some squares are marked with a “g” for garden and others are marked with an “f” for forest.  
  • After each round, a square is taken away because of a construction project or a forest was logged.  
  • Trees can also be re-planted or a logged forest can be turned into a farm field to show that we can help provide habitat too.  
  • Relate this to them being bats again and not having a food source.
  • After the game, have students plant native wildflowers (or other native plants) to help provide native habitat in the garden.

Wrap Up 

• What are some things that can harm habitats? What are some ways that we can help restore those habitats?

What's Next?

• Plan a restoration trip with a local agency.
• Encourage students to plant native plants in their own gardens and backyards.
• Read Stellaluna by Janell Cannon to the class.