Activity
2025 Edition
The Echolocation Game Build A Flying Bat
Social Studies:
Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Outcomes and Experiences
SOC 2-08a: I can discuss the environmental impact of human activity and suggest ways in which we can live in a more environmentally-responsible way.
SOC 3-08a: I can identify the possible consequences of an environmental issue and make informed suggestions about ways to manage the impact
Technology:
TCH 2-09a: I can extend and enhance my design skills to solve problems and can construct models
TCH 3-09a: I can create solutions in 3D and 2D and can justify the construction/graphic methods and the design features.
Duration
Materials 1 class period
Copy of A Window Into Outdoor pages 20 - 25
Sheets of A3 paper
Pencils, coloured pencils, or pens. Build a flying bat instructions.
Activity Instructions
1 Introduction: “Today we are going to be talking about bats and environmental conservation. What can anyone tell me about bats?” Write the answers on the board.
Play a crucial part in the UK ecosystem
The UK’s only flying mammal
There are 18 different types of bats in the UK Pest Control: A single bat can eat a thousand flying insects a night
Pollinators: Although all of the bats in the UK are insectivores they are excellent pollinators and can fly further than an average insect thereby pollinating over a wider area.
Seed Dispersal: Tropical Bats are excellent at spreading seeds
Fertilizer
Of the 1,200 species of bats across the globe only 3 drink blood. Commonly known as vampire bats, they are found in Mexico, Central and South America and very rarely drink human blood.
2. “Bats have a special way of knowing where things are in the dark, does anyone know what this is?”
3.Bats use echolocation by sending out highfrequency sound pulses and listening for the echoes that bounce back off objects in their environment. It’s like a type of biological sonar similar to the way that submarines create a ‘sound-map’ helping them to navigate in the dark.
4.Activity 1: The Echolocation Game.
5.Instructions:
Ask the pupils to stand up around the room. Blindfold one of the pupils and explain that they will be the bat
Once they are blindfolded point to two other pupils and explain that they are the moths. The object of the game is for the bat to catch the moths.
Everytime the ‘bat’ says “bat” the moths have to respond by loudly clapping their hands. Then the bat can move as many spaces as it likes towards the sound.
The moth is allowed to take only one step after every clap, whereas the bat can move freely
Once the moth is caught they become the bat
6 “This is who a bat hunts in real life Now I would like you to build your own bats.”
7. Activity: Build a flying bat. Give the pupils a copy of the instructions for making a flying ‘bat’ and a piece of A3 paper. Ask them to follow the instructions exactly Give them time to build and decorate their bats
Now ask all the pupils to try to fly their bat If they have built it correctly the bat’s wings should flap as it flies.
8 Wrap-Up: Ask the pupils how they found the game and the activity. Did they enjoy it? What did they learn about bats and how they help the environment. Re-cap the key points.
Flip and repeat the fold on the other side
Fold in half so the triangle points up
Fold in half.
Fold the opposite way to the line shown