Students should review notes they have and apply them to an outline. Taking time to put together an outline can assist students in creating a well written report. This outline was generated for the students in class to illustrate how to write a report comparing mega and micro bats. Students who do not have another topic they wish to write on can use this outline or modify it.

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Mega and micro bats.
B. Where they live.
C. Sources of food.
D. Bat myths.

II. APPEARANCE

1. Megabats
1. Small ears.
2. Long or large noses.
3. Large size- Up to 4 foot wingspan.
4. Big eyes.
2. Microbats
1. Large Ears.
2. Small or unusual noses.
3. Small in size with short wingspans.
4. Small eyes.
3. Bone Structures.
1. Wings are really hands.
2. Flying fox has a claw on its thumb.
3. Wings are different among different species of bats.
1. Megabats have wide, long wings for gliding.
2. Microbats have short, narrow wings for maneuvering.

III. WHERE BATS LIVE

1. Bats live on all continents except Antarctica.
2. Megabats
1. Generally live in tropical areas, roosting in trees.
2. Small numbers live in deserts and feed on night blooming plants.
3. Microbats.
1. Live everywhere that insects live.
2. Roost in caves.
3. Old mines.
4. Attics.
5. Basements.
6. Under bridges.
7. Hollow trees.

IV. FOOD

1. Bats eat a variety of different foods.
2. Megabats eat:
1. Fruit.
2. Pollen.
3. Nectar.
3. Microbats eat:
1. Insects (1000 in an hour, 6000 in a night)
2. Small animals such as frogs, fish, lizards.

V. MYTHS

1. Bats get caught in people’s hair.
1. Megabats too large to get caught.
1. Microbats use a sophisticated echolocation system making it impossible to get caught.
2. Bats suck blood.
1. Only one species of 1,000 suck blood (Vampire bat). This bat
3. Tools of the devil.
1. Nocturnal animals are often associated with the devil, just because they come out at night.
4. Bats destroy crops.
1. Bats are one of nature’s main insect destroyers, making them the most beneficial pesticide in nature.

VI. CONCLUSION

1. Learned about differences of mega and micro bats.
2. Learned the benefit to the ecosystem.