By Mariella Turini. Academic Year 2010-2011.
This project regarding bats took place at the “Giovanni Parmini” of the Istituto Comprensivo “Vincenzo Galilei” di Pisa primary school.
The need to close the gap between children and bats gave inspiration to create this project whose aim was to prove how important bats are in the ecosystem they inhabit. Activites were planned, with the aim of leading the children involved towards a greater understanding of the bat world in an easy and age-related way. Lessons and activities were followed with great interest, participating in role-plays, songs, completing crafts and talking with enthusiasm.
Legends and stories were told, and these of course included the famous Stellaluna and “Don Sabino, pipistrello di città”. Both Paolo Agnelli and Marco Riccucci participated in the activities and a particularly interesting presence was that of Claudia Chini (GIRC) who brought a Kuhl’s pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii) that gave the children a chance to see a live specimen with their own eyes.
All crafts created were exhibited and put up for sale in the end of year fair. The visit to the Museo “La Specola” in Florence saw the children coming up close and personal with many mammals and, in particular, many species of important bats. The project was concluded at the Parco di Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli (Lucca) with an evening of bat-watching with the children and their parents.
