The Cochrane Ecological Institute's Going Batty program is designed to inspire and empower youth to make connections with bats and learn ways to reduce their losses that will aid in their recovery. We encourage meaningful learning experiences with the real world that will provide youth with the tools needed to improve our ecosystem health.
This fun-filled, two part program provides a look into Cochrane Ecological Institute and the work we do to protect wildlife. The first part of the presentation is seen through pictures, videos and a bat dress-up, where youth learn about special bat features, who are our Alberta bats, how they echolocate, threats to them, and we can how to help bats.
The second half of the presentation has youth move through four hands-on stations, with biofacts and games that focus on the following:
1. Alberta bat profiles and their anatomy compared to humans and birds
2. Bat migration and hibernation challenges, and their life cycle.
3. Conservation problems verses conservation solutions.
4. Bat adaptations, a 'Year in the Life of a Bat' and Building & Installing a bat box.
Program Parameters:
Best suited for class sizes of 25-30 students
Class Presentation is ~ 60 minutes in length
Please provide access to do a PowerPoint
Local Half Day morning Field Trip for water studies. Schedule dependent on school hours.
Parent or School volunteers (2-3) to assist for both
This class aligns with the Alberta curriculum for Grades 1 to 8. This program is linked to
the Service Badges (Guides, Scouts, JFW) for
Elementary School aged youth.
We would like to thank the Cochrane Foundation and the Calgary Foundation for their support of our program! Additionally, thank you to the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation for the use of their bat biofacts for the stations.
To book our "Going Batty" program, please send us an email to amandacampbell2028@gmail.com.
We also express gratitude to The Alberta Bat Community Program for their many resources and guidance, especially Susan Holroyd and Cory Olson.
Finally, thanks to Melanie Whalen for her many great bat pictures for the promotion and presentations for the program!