An Introduction to Bats

Summary
The lesson gives the children a brief introduction to the world of bats. The reading may be used by the teacher as a resource, or as an individual or paired reading activity.

Objectives
• The children will be able to describe the characteristics of bats.

• The children will understand and be able to explain how bats are similar to and differ from other mammals.

Suggested Grades
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade

Excerpt
Bats are creatures of the night, associated with Halloween and scary movies. But are we being fair to them? What type of animal is a bat? First of all, it?s a mammal. Just like any other mammals bats are covered with hair, bear their young alive and feed them on milk produced in their mammary glands. But they differ from all other mammals in one very important way ? they are the only mammals capable of sustained, or continuous, flight (mammals such as the flying squirrel can only glide).

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