SCIENTISTS AT WORK

We investigated the adaptation that owls use to eat known as owl pellets.

We opened up the owl pellets and found some pretty interesting things.

Adaptations are awesome! This unit of study has shown us how plant and animal adaptations help living things survive. They may help the plant reach sunlight such as a tendril on a bean plant or help an animal blend in to its surroundings such as camouflage on an Eastern screech owl. As part of our investigation into adaptations, we looked closely at OWL PELLETS. The pictures below show our class examining this adaptation that helps owls eat to get energy. It also leads us to understand the ENERGY FLOW and FOOD CHAINS. 

Look at the bone we found in the owl pellet.

Using the microscopes helps us determine which type of bones we found.

It takes patience and a skilled hand to locate the bones among all the fur.

Here is a close up of some of the bones we found.

We sorted the bones using a chart to help us figure out what kind of animal was in the pellet.

This one may be a skull of a rodent.

The owl pellet has to be broken apart and sorted.

Mrs. LaRussa shows us how the bone shapes are similar to a human's structure.

This is amazing!