Perfect Timing for a Unique School Project

This past week Wisconsin received some news that we have been dreading for years; White Nose Syndrome (WNS) was confirmed in a single bat hibernacula in Grand County in the southwest part of the state.  As you may already know, White Nose Syndrome is a disease affecting hibernating bats. Named for the white fungus that appears on the muzzle and other body parts of hibernating bats, WNS has killed more than 5.7 million bats in eastern North America.  Bats infected with WNS exhibit uncharacteristic behavior during cold winter months, which include waking up out of hibernation and flying around outside during the day, using up all their reserved energy before winter ends.  For several years the Discovery Center has been a regional coordinator for the state-wide Acoustic Monitoring Program, training local citizens to conduct surveys with acoustic equipment.  This is just one of the many efforts our state has taken to learn more about Wisconsin’s bat population.

I don’t think it was coincidence that the news of WNS appearing in Wisconsin for the first time came on the same day that North Lakeland School 7^th grade students presented the “Bat Expo Night” at their local school.  “Bat Expo Night” was an evening where the students had a chance to show off bat related projects and activities they have been working on for the past few months.  As part of the Bat Education Project, a project generously funded by Xcel Energy, students each became an “expert” on a topic related to bats.  With the guidance of Mr. Williams, NLS science teacher and Dean of Students, each student started their project with a thesis, giving explanations and contributing factors that ended with an essay and was turned into an exhibit for the expo night.  Not only were students able to be creative with what they presented and the activities that went along with some of the exhibits, but the project also addressed several College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing in the Seventh Grade. 

Topics presented included each of the WI bat species, threats to bats, benefits of bats, bats around the world, what you can do to help bats, and more.  Students researched their topics, created a display and were on-hand as the public came out on April 10^th to view their exhibits.  Along with education displays, bat themed crafts, coloring sheets, bat artifacts to look at, we also had some yummies to share: “Nocturnal Nectar”, fruit juices made with food of fruit bats, “Bat Snack”, which contained all things we wouldn’t have if bats didn’t pollinate certain plants and trees (did you eat a banana today?  Thank a bat!), and bat shaped cookies to decorate and eat.  There were also fun activities for all ages that included dressing up in a bat-adaptation costume, measuring your bat wingspan, bat memory game, bat flyer activity, compare your wingspan to bats around the world and even a demonstration on how to safely remove a bat from your home.  Fun was had by all, and visitors found it a very educational experience.  Some of the comments we received:

• “Very well done- seems to be well researched- very educational and interesting.  
• "Fun activities!  
• "Nice variety of “stations.”  
• "A great deal of work and lots of time and energy went into this “Bat Expo”! “
• “Very informative and GREAT for the kids!  Thanks!”
• “I liked all the art.  And making cookeys [sic].  And playing games.”  

Throughout the two hours the exhibit went on, we had over 60 people come through.  As we were setting up the exhibits one of the 7^th grade students came up to me and said “I can’t believe how much more I know about bats after doing this project!” 

Now, more than ever, we need to educate ourselves and take action to protect this amazing mammal!