Lesson 4

Course Information:
- Subject: English Impact 3
- Grade: Grade 9, Semester 1
- Unit: Unit 2 – Misunderstood Animals
- Lesson: Lesson 4 – Reading: Vampire Bats
Learning Objectives:
- Master and use new vocabulary words correctly within written sentences.
- Discuss stories, ecological roles, and common misconceptions surrounding vampire bats.

Fangs:
- Definition: A long, sharp tooth.
- Example Context: The vampire bat uses its fangs to bite because they are sharp.
Lethal:
- Definition: Causing death.
- Example Context: These chemicals could kill fish. They are lethal.
Lick:
- Definition: The act of passing your tongue over something.
- Example Context: The cat licked the milk off her paws.
Suck:
- Definition: The act of pulling in liquid or air through your mouth without using your teeth.
- Example Context: Bees suck honey from flowers.

Multiple Choice Practice:
- Question: Some animals (fangs / lethal) are for injecting poison into the prey.
- Answer: fangs
- Question: The kid has swallowed a (lethal / suck) dose of the medicine.
- Answer: lethal
- Question: The dog moved his tongue slowly to (lethal / lick) its wounds.
- Answer: lick
- Question: Plants (suck / fangs) humidity from the earth.
- Answer: suck
Fill-in-the-Gaps Practice:
- Word Bank: fang, lethal, lick, suck
- Question 1: Hippopotamus are considered one of the topmost _____________ mammals.
- Answer: lethal
- Question 2: Use a vacuum cleaner attachment hose to _____________ up built-up dust.
- Answer: suck
- Question 3: How does the shape of a mountain remind you of a wolf's _____________?
- Answer: fang
- Question 4: One last _____________ and the milk was gone.
- Answer: lick
Sentence Construction Examples:
- Lethal: The snake's venom is rarely lethal to humans.
- Suck: Plants suck humidity from the earth.
- Fangs: There are many reasons why a dog may show his fangs.
- Lick: It is really nice to see a cat licks milk.
Writing Self-Assessment Criteria:
- Check for correct verb tenses.
- Check for correct spelling.
- Check for proper punctuation (full-stops, commas, etc.).

The "Blind as a Bat" Myth:
- The phrase "blind as a bat" is commonly used to describe someone who cannot see well.
- This saying is completely inaccurate, as bats actually have good eyesight in addition to awesome hearing.
Global Distribution & Population:
- Bats are found almost everywhere on Earth.
- There are approximately 1,200 species of bats on the planet.
Physical Habits & Navigation:
- Bats sleep upside-down.
- Most bats use sound (echolocation) to "see" and navigate the world around them.
Dietary Diversity:
- Most bats feed on insects or fruit.
- Some species eat scorpions, frogs, and other small animals.
- A small group of bats feeds on blood, known as vampire bats.

Primary Misconceptions:
- Myth 1: Bats are flying mice.
- Myth 2: Bats are blind and get caught in human hair.
- Myth 3: Bats are unimportant animals.
- Myth 4: Vampire bats suck blood directly using their fangs.
Feeding Habits and Mechanics:
- Vampire bats get blood primarily from birds, cows, horses, and other farm animals.
- They can feed gently on a sleeping animal for half an hour without waking it.
- Their bite is not lethal, and the small amount of blood lost does not harm the host animal.
- Fangs vs. Tongue: Vampire bats do not suck blood through their fangs. Instead, they use their sharp fangs to make a small cut in the animal's skin, wait for the blood to start flowing, and then lick the blood with their tongues.
- Because their bites do not kill or severe harm animals, vampire bat fangs are not considered lethal.
Survival and Human Interaction:
- Vampire bats do not require human blood to survive; if there is adequate time to find food, they will not attack humans.
- They can live for approximately two days without drinking blood.
- In general, vampire bats are comfortable and sometimes even friendly around humans.
Medical Science Contributions:
- Vampire bats produce special chemical substances in their saliva that keep blood flowing smoothly while they lick it.
- Scientists study these substances to develop medical treatments for humans suffering from blood circulation problems, heart attacks, and strokes.

Species Quantity:
- Question: How many species of bats are there?
- Answer: There are around 1,200 species of bats on the planet.
Common Misconceptions:
- Question: What are some false stories about bats?
- Answer: Common false stories include that bats are flying mice, that they are blind, that they get caught in hair, and that they suck blood directly through their fangs.
Blood Sources:
- Question: Where do vampire bats get the blood they need from?
- Answer: They obtain blood from birds, cows, horses, and other farm animals.
Ecological and Scientific Benefits:
- Question: How are vampire bats beneficial?
- Answer: They act as pollinators that spread seeds for plant reproduction, and they offer valuable chemical insights for medical research.
Central Article Theme:
- Question: What is the main idea of the article?
- Answer: Vampire bats are not the scary, lethal creatures many people imagine them to be; they play essential ecological roles and contribute to medical science.

Definition of a Pollinator:
- A pollinator is an insect or animal that transfers pollen and spreads the seeds of plants.
Importance to Earth's Ecosystem:
- Pollinators are essential for human and animal survival because they enable flowering plants to produce fruits, vegetables, and seeds.
Examples of Pollinating Animals and Insects:
- Bats
- Bees
- Birds
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Flies
- Wasps
- Beetles