Where are We? Bat Ranges
By: Jessica Mickey
Grades: upper elementary
Time: 1-2 40 minute class periods
Purpose: to identify the location of Indiana bat species and draw connections between their ranges.
Indiana Social Studies Standards
3.3.1
3.3.5
3.3.9
4.3.3
4.3.6
5.3.2
5.3.6
Use labels and symbols to locate and identify physical and political features on maps and/or globes.
Explain that regions are areas that have similar physical and cultural characteristics*. Identify Indiana
and the local community as part of a specific region.
Describe how climate and the physical characteristics of a region affect the vegetation and animal life
living there.
Locate Indiana on a map as one of the 50 United States. Identify and describe the location of the state
capital, major cities and rivers in Indiana.
Describe Indiana’s landforms (lithosphere*), water features (hydrosphere*), and plants and animals
(biosphere*).
Identify and describe cultural and physical regions of the United States
Use maps to describe the characteristics of climate regions of the United States.
Indiana English/Language Arts Standards
3.RN.3.1
Apply knowledge of text features to locate information and gain meaning from a text (e.g., maps,
illustrations, charts, font/format).
3.W.2.1
Write legibly in print or cursive, leaving space between letters in a word, words, in a sentence, and
words and the edges of the paper.
3.W.3.2
Write informative compositions on a variety of topics that develop the topic with facts and details
and connect ideas within categories of information using words and phrases.
3.W.5
Conduct short research on a topic. Locate information in reference texts, electronic resources, or
through interviews, record relevant information in their own words, and present the information,
choosing from a variety of formats.
3.W.6.1e Writing correctly complete simple, compound, and complex declarative, interrogative, imperative,
and exclamatory sentences, using coordinating and subordinating conjunctions (e.g., and, for, but,
or).
4.RN.3.1 Apply knowledge of text features to locate information and gain meaning from a text (e.g., charts,
tables, graphs, headings, subheadings, font/format).
4.RN.4.2 Combine information from two texts on the same topic in order to demonstrate knowledge about
the subject.
4.W.2.1
4.W.3.2
Write legibly in print or cursive, forming letters and words that can be read by others.
Write informative compositions on a variety of topics that Provide facts, specific details, and
examples from various sources and texts to support ideas and extend explanations, connect ideas
using words and phrases, and use language and vocabulary appropriate for audience and topic.
4.W.5
Conduct short research on a topic. Summarize and organize information in their own words, giving
credit to the source. Present the research information, choosing from a variety of formats.
4.W.6.1e Writing correctly complete simple, compound, and complex declarative, interrogative, imperative,
and exclamatory sentences, using coordinating and subordinating conjunctions (e.g., yet, nor, so).
4.W.6.2b Using a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.
5.RN.3.1 Apply knowledge of text features in multiple print and digital sources to locate information, gain
meaning from a text, or solve a problem.
5.RN.4.2 Combine information from several texts or digital sources on the same topic in order to
demonstrate knowledge about the subject.
5.W.3.2
Write informative compositions on a variety of topics that connect ideas within and across
categories using transition words (e.g., therefore, in addition).
5.W.5
Conduct short research assignments and tasks on a topic. Identify and acquire information through
reliable primary and secondary sources. Summarize and paraphrase important ideas and supporting
details, and include direct quotations where appropriate, citing the source of information. Present
the research information, choosing from a variety of sources.
5.W.6.2c Demonstrate command of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling applying correct spelling patterns
and generalizations in writing.
Indiana Science Standards
4.2.6 Describe ways in which humans have changed the natural environment. Explain if these changes have
been detrimental or beneficial.
4.3.2 Observe, compare and record the physical characteristics of living plants or animals from widely
different environments. Describe how each plant or animal is adapted to its environment.
5.3.1 Observe and classify common Indiana organisms as producers, consumers, decomposers, predator and
prey based on their relationships and interactions with other organisms in their ecosystem.
Materials:
- Blank map of United States
- Books about bat habitats
- Computers for research (optional)
- Colored pencils
- Crayons
- At least 12 colors of stickers
Background: In previous days, students will have gotten more familiar with different species of bats that reside in
Indiana. They will have at least been introduced to each of the 12 species.
Procedures:
1) As a class, identify 12 species of Indiana bats. Students will offer the species names as teacher writes them on
board or overhead in front of the class for students to see.
a. If students can’t name 12 species, teacher should fill in the missing ones.
2) Have students write down the names of these 12 species. Review basic characteristics of the bats.
3) Teacher should pass out a blank map of the US to each student. Students are to conduct research with a partner
to map where the different species of Indiana bats are found (region, city/rural/forest), water areas, etc.).
a. Students can work together with partner on the research, but each student should have their own map.
b. To mark where each bat species resides, students are to use 12 different colored stickers. To show
regionality of the bat species, students should put sticker near the middle of where the bat is located
and hand draw around the sticker the region of the bat’s location (students can also color in the drawn
region with the same color crayon or colored pencil of sticker if this makes the map easier to read).
c. On the back of the map, students are also to write where each bat species can be found. The written
portion should include the region as well as details like does it like barns, trees, forests, water areas,
corn fields, etc.
4) Once the map is completed, each student should write a summary drawing similarities and differences about the
bats’ ranges (have older students write a longer/more extensive summary than younger students).
a. Students should at least be able to identify which bat species live in similar areas, which live in different
areas, and postulate why these similarities/differences exist using what they know from previous class
sessions about the bat species.
Assessments:
- Correctly completed map
- Written summary of conclusions drawn from the map
- Work time participation
Resources:
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3371.htm
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Endangered/mammals/inba/curriculum/Chapter13.pdf
http://www.about-bats.com/types-of-bats.html
http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/40007/indiana-bats-and-other-types-of-bats#.U9N8_ldWSo
http://www.batcon.org/index.php/all-about-bats/bat-books.html (Books)
Map Key
Big brown bat—all United States
Silver-haired bat—southeastern Alaska; all United States except Florida
Hoary bat—eastern US forests, deserts of Southwest, plains states, Pacific Northwest, Hawaii
Gray bat—southeastern US; Indiana, Illinois, south along Mississippi River, around southeastern coastal plains to North
Carolina
Southeastern bat—extreme southeastern Virginia west to Texas and south to Florida
Little brown bat—US except northern Alaska, south central and southeastern US
Indiana bat—most of eastern half of US
Rafinesque’s big-eared bat—Gulf Coast Texas to Florida north to Virginia, eastern Arkansas and Missouri north to
eastern Illinois, southern Indiana, all of Kentucky, and Tennessee, to western West Virginia
Eastern Pipistrelle bat—eastern US to Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas; eastern half of Texas including the Rolling
Plains west to Armstrong County and central Texas as far west as Val Verde County, and a recent record from Lubbock
County.
Northern long-eared bat—Maine to North Carolina on the Atlantic Coast, westward to eastern Oklahoma and north
through the Dakotas, eastern Montana and Wyoming
Evening bat-- East Coast west to eastern Nebraska and south through East Texas to northern Mexico, eastern one-third
of Texas, west to about Clay County in the north and Kinney County in the south
Eastern red bat—everywhere east of the Rockies