Tell the students that the bat population accounts for more one quarter of the species of mammals, therefore it is important to study them.
Explain to the children that bats are often associated with scary scenarios because they are most active at night when they come out to feed.
Tape pictures on a poster board to show the children what bats eat. Use pictures of insects, fruits, small rodents, frogs and flowers. Explain that contrary to the information they receive in movies, bats do not attack humans in order to suck their blood. Make it clear that the only bats that consume blood are vampire bats and they are only found in Central America far away from their homes. Explain that even those bats attack livestock generally and rarely humans.
Ask the children if they remember the itchy feeling that lasts for two or three days after being bitten by a mosquito. Explain that a single bat can eat up to 600 mosquito in an hour, and are therefore an effective, natural way to control the mosquito population.
Tell the children that some bats -- called microbats -- are useful in transporting seeds and pollinating some plants, such as guava, avocados and bananas.
Ask the children if they know what group of mammals the bat belongs to. Some children may guess a bird -- due to its flight -- others may guess a rodent because bats are small and furry. Tell them bats belong to their own separate group called Chiroptera.
Show the children a ruler or yardstick and explain that most bat bodies are less than 4 inches long, as stated by the Northern State University website. They look larger when flying because their wingspan can be as large as 12 inches.