Lesson Title: Bats and Birds (using Stellaluna by Janell Cannon)
By: Nichole MacClellan
Grade Level: Early Childhood

Goal: A Venn-diagram will be completed to describe the differences between birds and bats.  

Learning Objectives: Students will:
identify the similarities and differences between bats and birds

NJ Science Standards:  5.7 #1 the students will develop a simple classification scheme for grouping organisms and standard 5.7 #. 4 the students will identify and describe external features of plants and animals that help them survive in varied habitats.

Materials: 
Stellaluna
Paper
Crayons
http://www.kids-learn.org/stellaluna/ (see other students’ work)

Procedure:
Introduction:
I will show the students a picture of a bat and a bird and ask what they think they are.  I will then tap into the student’s prior knowledge and relate what we are about to lean about to real life.  I will then get the student’s excited about the upcoming story and lesson. 

Exploration:

I will read the book Stellaluna to the students.  After I read the book, I will give them the opportunity to hold the book and explore the pictures to prepare them for our discussion.  We will then discuss what are the similarities and differences between bats and birds. 

Application:

After our discussion, as a group the students and I will complete a Venn-diagram.  I will ask each student to give me a similarity, and a difference about the bat and birds in the book.  Next, I will give them the opportunity to draw a picture of Stellaluna and her friends.  By doing this I will reinforce our discussion. They can also make simple stick puppets from paper silhouettes using furry fabric for the bat and feathers for the bird.

Assessment: The lesson will be deemed successful if students can:
identify three similarities and three differences between bats and birds.
complete the Venn-diagram.
understand that birds and bats have both similarities and differences.  

Reflection:
I believe that this lesson was successful. The children listened carefully and were not reluctant in giving their answers.  Before reading the book I tapped into their prior knowledge by asking what was in the pictures.  Marc answered what he saw in the pictures and Marissa added to it by telling us what she thought about bats.  By doing this, I am also tapping into their life experiences and making the lesson more realistic to the children.  The children also related the content to activities that they are partaking to also make the lesson more real.  For example, in the beginning before we read the story, Marissa told us about the food that the bats and birds eat that do not come from A&P. 
I broke down this lesson into two parts, similarities and differences. By making a Venn-Diagram content was reinforced.
I agreed with each of their ideas and asked them to elaborate.  I think I could have asked more questions that they could relate to their real life.