18. Bat Bulletin (Closure - lesson plan provided)

• Language Arts/Science
  
• discuss the need for informing others about both the myths and truths about bats to encourage their survival
  
• suggest producing a bat newsletter as a means of addressing the problem by distributing it to other classes and to family members
  
• brainstorm ideas for articles and have the students work on articles in cooperative groups
  
• the teacher acts as editor, doing reviews of the copy and having the group make revisions
  
• after the articles are typed students can help with the pasteup and printing

COMMON ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS (CELs)

Keys to Abbreviations

C... communication

N... numeracy

TL.. technological literacy

IL... independent learning

PSUS.. personal and social values and skills

CCT... critical and creative thinking

Bat Bulletin (Closure)

CELs:

• discuss and write about the ideas presented using their own language (C)
  
• collect and organize quantitative information into lists, tables, graphs or charts (N)
  
• participate in decision making processes with regard to technological developments that touch their lives (TL)
  
• summarize information in a variety of ways (CCT)
  
• participate in a wide range of learning activities in cooperation with teacher and peers (IL)
  
• work cooperatively and contribute positively in group learning activities (PSVS)

Materials:

• bat books
  
• white paper
  
• glue
  
• scissors
  
• black felt pen

Objectives:
Students will learn that:

• newsletters can be used for creating public awareness
  
• to protect bats other people must understand bats too

Procedures:
Set Induction (15 min.)

• ask students to share some of what they have discovered about bats that they didn't know before - record answers in a concept web
  
• explain that most people are in the same position we were before we started studying bats and for this reason many bats are killed and tormented for no reason
  
• suggest making a class newsletter about bats to help other classes, parents and friends understand bats better

Main Procedure (3 hours)

• brainstorm topics that should be included in the newsletter
  
• have students work in their cooperative groups on producing an article selected from the above list
  
• roles in the group are: Reader/ Writer/ Illustrator/ Editor
  
• as articles are written the Editor brings it to the teacher for comments and returns to make any revisions needed
  
• when approved the articles are submitted for typing
  
• in another period the Illustrators from each group assist the teacher in doing paste-ups
  
• the group Editors approve their copy and the Readers help in the printing>

Closure (10 min.)

• distribute the newsletter to other classes and to parents
  
• ask class if they wish to write a class letter to Bat Conservation International to inquire about their newsletter (see resource list)

Evaluation:

• ask students why we should write this newsletter and talk to people about bats and take note of their answers
  
• review the newsletter for evidence of positive attitudes towards bats
  
• test students for last time with the Bat-O-Meter and review with class where changes in attitude took place.