A guide for using our resources

Children compare and contrast bats and owls.

Vocabulary: nocturnal, talons, owlets, mammal, nectar

Science Focus: animal diversity

CCSS (and states that have similar standards): RL.1.1 key details; RF.1.2 understand phonemes; RF.1.3 decode words; W.1.8 writing; SL.1.2 ask and answer questions

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

• This wordless picture book follows two animal families struggling to share a tree. The fun illustrations will have students laughing and thinking of ways to solve this problem!

• Tell students that sometimes two consonants can come together to make one sound. Use magnet letters or sticky notes to show letters t and h coming together. Have students practice making the sound /th/. Practice saying the sound in familiar words such as Thursday and thirsty. Then ask students to find words that begin with th- in the issue. They can circle it. For an extra challenge, ask students to find one word with th in the middle of the word (feather) and one word with th at the end of the word (with).

Skill: writing, fine-motor

Materials: Fact Fliers! template skill sheets, toilet paper rolls, coloring tools, scissors, glue, pencils, yarn, tape

• Students will make their facts about bats and owls fly through the air!
• Have students choose a bat or owl Fact Fliers! skill sheet. Ask students to think about a fact they learned about their chosen animal. Have them write their fact in the box. They can color in their animal parts.
• Provide students with scissors. Students can cut out their fact and animal parts. Have them glue the pieces onto a toilet paper roll.
• Cut a long piece of yarn. Tape or tie it to a spot in your classroom. Hold up the other end. Have students take turns stringing the yarn through their bats and owls and letting the animals “fly” through the classroom. Keep their animal hanging for a Fact Fliers display!