Academy Curricular Exchange
Columbia Education Center
Science

Linda Warner, Shasta Elementary, Klamath Falls, OR

                    TAKING APART OWL PELLETS

Appropriate for grades 5-8.

OVERVIEW:  The key concept inherent in this activity is that of
interdependence.  We are all interdependent on this planet. 
Whether it be the study of energy, the solar system or the animal
kingdom this is a very important integral theme.  Because of its
importance I feel it needs to be continually stressed and
especially since our world continues to become "smaller." 
Hopefully, an activity such as this gives students an idea of how
each one of us play a part in the world in which we live.

PURPOSE:  The purpose of this lesson is to provide students with a
hands on activity to enhance their awareness of an ecosystem.

OBJECTIVES:  Students will be able to:

 1.  Further their understanding of a simple chain.

 2.  Have a better understanding of the interdependency of all
     living things in an ecological system.

 3.  Reconstruct a rodent.

 4.  Have a better understanding of bone structure.

ACTIVITIES:  

Divide the students into small groups of three or four.  Give each
group an owl pellet.  (Precaution--it's a good idea to have frozen
the owl pellets prior to the activity.)

Students can then take apart the owl pellet being careful to
separate all the tiny bones from the fur.  It's useful at this
point to have a health textbook available with pictures of the
various bones.

Once all the bones are separated the students can then start
reconstructing their rodent onto the tagboard.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS NEEDED:

Materials Needed:  Tagboard, cut into 12" squares.
                   Toothpicks, or dissecting tools.
                   Glue.
                   Health textbook showing the different bones of
                        the body.

                                       To order owl pellets:

     Project Wild                           Susan K. Parker
     P.O. Box 59                            33280 Tennessee Rd.
     Portland, OR  97207                    Lebanon, OR  97355
                                            (503) 259-2196


TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:  Upon completion of this activity students
can observe the different rodents owls have consumed.  A
comparison can be made to which group had the most complete
skeleton.  These tagboards of animal skeletons make a very
interesting display.

Click here to return to OFCN's Academy Curricular Exchange

Click here to return to OFCN's Academy
Click here to return to OFCN's Main Menu