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Bats in the Band (A Bat Book)



Last updated Thursday, March 9, 2017

Author: Brian Lies
Date of Publication: 2014
ISBN: 0544105699
Grade Level: 1st    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Mar. 2017

Synopsis: The look on our faces is easy to read: a little night music is just what we need! A late-spring night sky fills with bats flocking to a theater, already echoing and booming with delightful sounds of music. Bat music—plunky banjoes, bat-a-tat drums, improvised instruments, country ballads, and the sweet cries of a bat with the blues. Join this one-of-a-kind music festival as the bats celebrate the rhythm of the night, and the positive power of music. Brian Lies’s newest celebration of bats and their dazzling, dizzying world will lift everyone’s spirits with joyous noise and cheer!

Note to readers:
•  Do a picture walk first through the book.

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  Have you ever seen a bat? What do you think about bats - are they scary?
•  Do you play an instrument or have a family member who does? What type of instrument?

Vocabulary

•  hibernation - the condition or period of an animal or plant spending the winter in a dormant state.
•  huddle - crowd together; nestle closely, especially to keep safe or warm.
•  menu - the food available or to be served in a restaurant or at a meal.
•  conductor - a person who directs the performance of an orchestra or choir.
•  quartet - a group of four people playing music or singing together.
•  "air" guitar - used to describe the actions of someone playing an imaginary guitar:

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  Did you know that bats don't actually fly like birds do, but they glide?

Craft ideas:
•  Draw a picture of a bat on a paper plate. Color it, cut out, and hang from a string or yarn.
•  Draw or make a cut-outs of instruments.
•  Check our music in March craft ideas on Pinterest!
https://www.pinterest.com/readingtokids/march-2017-music-entertainment/

Special activities:
•  Go through the book page by page, and identify the different instruments and the kind of sound each one makes.

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!