Owl Research

Station One – Adaptations

Owls use adaptations to survive.  According to the World Book Encyclopedia Online an Adaptation is “a characteristic of an organism that makes it better able to survive and reproduce in its environment. For example, the long neck of a giraffe is an adaptation. It enables the giraffe to eat leaves high above the reach of many other animals.”

During this station you will explore the adaptations of an owl.

  1. Watch An Introduction to Barn Owls
  2. Read the article Adaptations from Barnowltrust.com
  3. Use the article and video to help label the different parts and adaptations of the owl found on the front of your Owl Research booklet.
  4. Use MackinVia.com for additional resources.
    • User ID – Your user number (lunch number)
    • User Password – your school passwor
    • In the databases, Go to Britannica School
    • In the search box type “owls.”

Station Two – Life Cycle and Eating

  1. Use the books at this station to learn about the owl’s life cycle.
    • Owls by Gail Gibbons
    • Baby Owl by Aubrey Lang
    • Owls by Mary R. Dunn
  2. Watch Owl Life Cycle and/or See How We Grow: Owls
  3. Fill out the flap on the left, inside part of your research booklet about the owl’s life cycle.
  4. Now that you know about the life cycle of the owl, let’s learn about how the owl hunts and eats.
  5. Watch the video about the Super Hearing of Owls.
  6. Use MackinVia.com for additional resources.
    • Use your school ID and Password
    • In the databases, Go to Britannica School
    • In the search box type “owls.”
    • Select reading level 2
    • Use the link on the side to jump to the “Reproduction and Mating”
  7. Fill in the right flap on information about how owls hunt and eat.

Additional Activity:  Create a comic strip of the owl life cycle using the information you have gathered.

 

Station Three – Owls of Texas

Several owls are found in Texas, but what makes them different?  At this station you will learn about the barn owl, and then you will get the chance to pick out a Texas owl to research.  You will be using the website: The Owl Pages.

  1. Click on the Barn Owl.  As you read about the Common Barn Owl. Fill out the information page in the center, inside sheet of your research packet.

    Barn Owl

Now, it is your turn.  Take a look at the pictures to decide which owl you would like to research and then click on that owl.

Elf Owl

 

Barred Owls

 

Great Horned Owl

 

Burrowing Owl

 

Eastern Screech Owl

If you enjoyed learning about the owls from Texas, take a look at the many other owls that live throughout the world!

 

Station Four – Owl Literature

  1. Read  White Owl, Barn Owl by Nicola Davis
  2. Read or watch the story of Owl Moon by Jane Yolen.
  3. Using the Venn Diagram on the back of the research packet compare White Owl, Barn Owl and Owl Moon.

 

Station Five – Owl Pellets

Now that you have learned about all about owls, let’s take a look at owl pellets.  Dissecting an owl pellet is a great way to see what an owl ate.

  • Using the “Mystery Objects Recording Sheet” and the “Owl Pellet Bone Chart” dissect the owl pellet.
  • Answer the questions on the “Owl Pellets” questions sheet.

The videos below can guide you in your understanding of why owls spit up the pellet and how to pull them apart.

 Why do they spit up the pellet?

 

Watch as this owl pellet is dissected.  What kind of animal did she find?

 

 

Now for something just for fun!  Don’t be afraid to sing along!!

 

 

Resources Used:

Follow the link to see all the resources used during the owl investigation. owl-sheets