Shadow Flyers Teacher Guide Teacher Resource
Shadow Flyers Guide
4-Day Bat Science Unit • Grades K-3
K-3 science
PAGE 1 OF 2
Daily Pacing
30 Minutes / Day
Focus Area
Biology & Adaptations
Final Project
3D Paper Craft
DAY 1
Bat Basics (Mammal Status & Anatomy)
Objective: Students identify bats as mammals and label key external body structures (wings, thumb, claws, ears) while comparing them to human skeletons.
Materials Needed
Bat Basics Slides (Slides 1-5)
Bat Basics Labeling Worksheet
Pencils & Coloring Crayons
Pacing Breakdown
0-10m: Mammal intro & features
10-20m: Anatomy exploration
20-30m: Anatomy labeling worksheet
Teacher Script & Prompts:
"Look at your hand and wiggle your fingers. Did you know a bat has the exact same finger bones inside its wing? Open your slides to Slide 3. The thumb is at the top of the wing, and their fingers stretch all the way down to hold up the skin, just like a kite! Why do you think a bat has such big ears? Yes, to hear tiny insects in the dark! Let's write down these parts on our worksheet."
DAY 2
Bat Squad (Species & Diversity)
Objective: Students compare species diversity by contrasting the Bumblebee Bat, Giant Flying Fox, and Vampire Bat, and recording unique traits in their activity booklets.
Materials Needed
Bat Squad Slides (Slides 1-5)
Bat Squad Activity Booklet
Colored pencils or markers
Pacing Breakdown
0-12m: Slides: Smallest, biggest, unique
12-25m: Student choice drawing & profiles
25-30m: Squad match-up game & check
Teacher Script & Prompts:
"Yesterday we learned what bats look like. Today we are meeting the ultimate Bat Squad! Imagine a bat as tiny as a penny—that's the Bumblebee Bat! Now stretch your arms out wide. The Flying Fox's wings stretch even wider than your arms! On your Squad Activity page, choose your favorite squad member, draw them in their natural home, and fill out their special power."
SHADOW FLYERS UNIT PLAN • GRADES K-3 ELEMENTARY LIFE SCIENCES (NGSS L.S.1)
Teacher Resource
Shadow Flyers Guide
4-Day Bat Science Unit • Grades K-3
K-3 science
PAGE 2 OF 2
DAY 3
Bat Truths (Myths vs. Facts & Echolocation)
Objective: Students debunk common myths (blindness, bird-like traits) and demonstrate understanding of echolocation and bat contributions to ecology (bug control).
Materials Needed
Bat Truths Slides (Slides 1-5)
YouTube Echolocation Video
Bat Truths Sorting Sheet
Scissors, Glue & Crayons
Pacing Breakdown
0-10m: Slides & Echolocation video
10-15m: Interactive Myth vs. Fact discussion
15-30m: Cut-and-paste sorting worksheet
Teacher Script & Prompts:
"Close your eyes and make a clicking sound with your mouth. Click, click! That's how a microbat sends out sound waves. The sound bounces off an insect and comes back to their ears to tell them exactly where dinner is! People think bats are blind, but they can actually see! Let's complete our sorting sheet: separate myths from scientific facts!"
DAY 4
Bat Craft (Art Integration & Reflection)
Objective: Students synthesize their learning by constructing a 3D paper bat with movable folded wings and writing a brief scientific reflection about bat behavior.
Materials Needed
Bat Craft Slides (Slides 1-5)
Bat Craft Templates Sheet (one per student)
Black/brown construction paper (optional)
Scissors, glue sticks, markers
Pacing Breakdown
0-5m: Explain craft process & final model
5-20m: Cut, fold, and construct bats
20-30m: Complete learning reflection & share
Teacher Script & Prompts:
"Today is our big craft day! We are making our very own hanging 3D Bat. You will cut out the body templates first, then accordion-fold the wings. This gives them a cool 3D shape, just like real bat bones holding skin. After pasting your bat together, fill out your mini-reflection box on what cool fact surprised you most!"
Grades K-3 Differentiation Tips
Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Have students trace vocab words on worksheets. Provide pre-cut shapes for the craft, or pair them up to assist with cutting. Focus on big concepts (bats fly but have fur, bats eat lots of mosquitoes!).
2nd & 3rd Grade: Encourage independent reading of slide texts. On the reflection sheet, challenge them to write 2-3 full sentences using scientific words like mammal, echolocation, or nocturnal.
SHADOW FLYERS UNIT PLAN • GRADES K-3 ELEMENTARY LIFE SCIENCES (NGSS L.S.1)
Bat Basics Slides Day 1 Science Adventure
Shadow Flyers:
All About Bats!
Are you ready to explore the night sky? Today we learn who bats are, how they fly, and why they are super special!
Shadow Flyers Unit
Grades K-3 • Lesson 1
Mammal Power Fact Check
Are Bats Birds?
No! Bats fly, but they do NOT have feathers, and they do NOT lay eggs.
Bats are MAMMALS! Just like dogs, cats, and humans!
Why are bats Mammals?
🦇 They have soft fur (not feathers)
🍼 Babies drink milk from their mothers
🌡️ They are warm-blooded
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 2
Super Bodies Bat Anatomy
Built for the Dark
Every part of a bat's body has a special job to help it fly, eat, and hang upside down.
1
Large Ears
To listen to quiet whispers in the night.
2
Strong Claws & Feet
To lock onto branches so they can sleep upside down!
🦇
Large Ears 👂
Wings 🪁
Tiny Thumb 👍
Check out the wings! They are made of thin skin stretched across bone.
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 3
Wing Secret Skeletal Fun
Hold Up Your Hand!
Open your fingers as wide as you can!
A bat has five fingers inside its wing, exactly like your hand!
The Thumb is a little hook at the top for climbing.
The other four fingers are super long, holding up the wing skin like tent poles!
✋
Your Hand
Short fingers for grabbing objects
↔️
🦇
Bat Wing
Long fingers for flapping & flying
This skeleton structure is called homology!
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 4
Worksheet Let's Try It
Time to Label Your Bat!
We are giving you a special Bat Basics Worksheet. Let's practice finding:
👂 EAR 👍 THUMB 🪁 WING 🦶 FOOT
Write your name at the top, trace carefully, and color your bat!
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 5
Bat Basics Worksheet Science Day 1 Activity
Name:
Date:
Label That Bat! 🦇
Look at the bat below. Use the Word Bank to write the correct body part in each box!
🦇
👂 1.
👍 2.
🪁 3.
🦶 4.
Word Bank
WING (w - i - n - g)
EAR (e - a - r)
THUMB (t - h - u - m - b)
FOOT (f - o - o - t)
Bonus Writing Practice:
Trace this word: m a m m a l (A warm-blooded animal with fur!)
SHADOW FLYERS SCIENTIFIC PRACTICE DAY 1 ACTIVITY • PAGE 1 OF 1
Bat Squad Slides Day 2 Species Diversity
Meet the
Bat Squad!
Bats live all over the world in different shapes and sizes! Today, we are going to meet the tiny, the giant, and the super unique!
Shadow Flyers Unit
Grades K-3 • Lesson 2
The Tiny One Bumblebee Bat
The Bumblebee Bat 🐝
This is the smallest mammal in the entire world!
It is so tiny that it can fit on your thumb, and it weighs less than a penny!
Cool Specs:
📏 Size: Only 1 inch long!
🏡 Home: Lives in caves in Thailand
🦟 Diet: Eats tiny insects at night
Fun Fact: It can hover like a bee!
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 2
The Giant Giant Flying Fox
Cool Specs:
📏 Wingspan: up to 5 feet wide!
🏡 Home: Forest canopies in Asia
🍎 Diet: strictly fruit, nectar, & flowers
Fun Fact: Looks like a puppy with wings!
Giant Flying Fox 🦊
The largest bat in the world!
Despite their giant size, they are harmless fruit lovers who help plant trees by spreading seeds!
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 3
The Unique One Vampire Bat
Vampire Bat 🩸
These unique bats live in Central & South America.
They are famous for eating blood, but they don't hunt humans! They lick tiny drops of blood from sleeping farm animals like cows and horses.
Cool Specs:
🏃 Skill: Can run & hop on the ground!
🤝 Social: They share food with hungry friends!
🦷 Teeth: Super sharp heat sensors to find warm spots!
Fun Fact: They are excellent runners!
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 4
Squad Game Who is Who?
Which Bat Squad Member...?
1
...is the smallest mammal in the world?
Bumblebee Bat!
2
...eats fruit and spreads forest seeds?
Giant Flying Fox!
3
...can run, hop, and loves sharing food?
Vampire Bat!
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 5
Bat Squad Activity Booklet Science Day 2 Activity
Name:
Date:
Meet the Bat Squad! 🦇
Complete the species match-up, then create a customized profile for your favorite squad member!
1 Part 1: Who Am I? (Draw a line to match!)
CLUE A:
"I have a giant five-foot wingspan and eat delicious fruit from forest trees."
CLUE B:
"I am smaller than a penny, live in caves, and hover near forest trees."
CLUE C:
"I can run and hop along the ground and share food with my hungry friends."
🐝 Bumblebee Bat
🩸 Vampire Bat
🦊 Giant Flying Fox
2 Part 2: Design a Squad Member Profile!
Draw Your Favorite Bat:
What is its name?
What does it eat?
Where does it live?
SHADOW FLYERS SCIENTIFIC PRACTICE DAY 2 ACTIVITY • PAGE 1 OF 1
Bat Truths Slides Day 3 Myths vs. Facts
Bat Truths &
Night Tales!
Are bats spooky, blind, or dangerous? Today we are going to be science detectives and separate rumors from the real truths!
Shadow Flyers Unit
Grades K-3 • Lesson 3
Detective Case #1 Vision & Sound
Rumor: "Bats are blind!"
Many people believe bats cannot see at all and fly around totally lost in the dark.
The Scientific Fact:
Bats have great eyesight ! In fact, fruit bats see in color.
But to catch bugs in total darkness, they also use a biological superpower called Echolocation (seeing with sound!).
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 2
Superpower How Echolocation Works
Echolocation Step-by-Step
1
The bat makes high-pitched clicks from its mouth or nose.
2
The sound waves travel out and hit a bug or branch.
3
The sound bounces off the bug and echoes back to the bat's huge ears.
🦇
) ) )
🦋
The bat can determine the size, speed, and location of the bug instantly!
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 3
Video Time Watch and Learn
Science on Screen
Let's watch this awesome video showing real bats using echolocation in the dark forest!
Keep your ears open for:
What sounds does the bat make?
How do they avoid hitting walls?
Embedded media
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 4
Super Heroes Bugs Patrol
The Bug Patrol! 🦟
Did you know a single little brown bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in just one hour?
Without bats, insects would chew up our fruit, veggies, and garden flowers. Bats are natural farmers' helpers!
Bats are our Friends!
Instead of being afraid, we should say:
"Thank you, Bat Squad!"
Now we are going to test our myth-busting powers with our Sorting worksheet!
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 5
Bat Truths Sorting Sheet Science Day 3 Activity
Name:
Date:
Fact or Myth? 🔍
Are you a certified Bat Detective? Cut out the cards at the bottom, decide if they are Facts or Myths , and glue them into the correct column!
🌟 Super Facts
Glue Facts Here!
❌ Spooky Myths
Glue Myths Here!
CUT ALONG THIS LINE
"Bats have great eyes and can see in the dark." Card 1
"Bats are blind and can't see anything." Card 2
"Bats can eat 1,000 bad bugs in an hour." Card 3
"Bats are flying birds with feathers." Card 4
"Bats are mammals that feed milk to babies." Card 5
"All bats want to drink human blood." Card 6
SHADOW FLYERS SCIENTIFIC PRACTICE DAY 3 ACTIVITY • PAGE 1 OF 1
Bat Craft Slides Day 4 Creative Craft
Let's Build a
3D Paper Bat!
It is craft day! Today, we use our hands to make an awesome, hanging 3D bat. We will also write down our favorite bat facts on our reflections!
Shadow Flyers Unit
Grades K-3 • Lesson 4
Step 1 Getting Ready
Gather Your Tools! 🛠️
Clear your desk space. Make sure you have all your craft ingredients before we start cutting!
Your Craft Recipe:
📄 Your printed Bat Craft Template
✂️ Safety Scissors
🧪 A Glue Stick
🖍️ Black, purple, or brown Crayons
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 2
Step 2 Color & Cutout
Craft Directions:
1 Color your bat parts. Use dark colors like purple, black, or deep blue.
2 Carefully cut out the bat body, the two wings, and the round eyes.
💡 Tip: Cut on the thick dotted lines!
Design & Cut!
Be very careful with your scissors! Remember, bats have soft fur (represented by your coloring) and thin, skin wings.
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 3
Step 3 The Accordion Fold
Movable 3D Wings!
Real bat wings can fold and flap. To make your paper wings 3D, we are going to do an accordion fold !
How to fold:
1 Fold a small strip of the wing forward.
2 Flip the paper over and fold it backward!
3 Glue the edges to the back of your bat body.
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 4
The Finale Reflect & Share
Your Masterpiece is Done! 🎉
Now write your favorite scientific fact inside your Reflection Card and glue it onto your bat!
"I learned that bats are ____________________ and they can ____________________!"
Hang your beautiful 3D bat in your classroom, and show everyone how much you know about our Shadow Flyers!
Shadow Flyers Unit Slide 5
Bat Craft Printables Craft Template Day 4 Activity Sheet
✂️ USE SAFETY SCISSORS
3D Hanging Bat Outlines 🦇
Color all parts dark purple or black, then cut on the thick dashed lines . Fold wings accordion-style and glue onto the body!
BAT BODY • CUT OUT
Color Me Dark!
GLUE REFLECTION CARD HERE
EYES & NOSE • CUT OUT
FANGS
LEFT WING • CUT OUT & FOLD
FOLD FOLD FOLD GLUE
RIGHT WING • CUT OUT & FOLD
GLUE FOLD FOLD FOLD
✏️ My Bat Explorer Reflection Card
Explorer Name:
1. Bats are special mammals because they can:
2. My absolute favorite bat is the:
Fill this card out first, cut it out, and glue it directly onto your bat's chest for everyone to read!
SHADOW FLYERS SCIENTIFIC PRACTICE DAY 4 ACTIVITY • PAGE 1 OF 1