Owl Pellet Discovery Kit

thingiverse

This project is designed to introduce students to the concept of food chains and owl diet through a hands-on activity involving 3D printing, dissection, and identification of replica owl pellets. Here's a breakdown of the project: **Objectives:** 1. To understand the concept of food chains and owl diet. 2. To learn about skeletal anatomy of small rodents and birds. 3. To develop skills in 3D design, printing, and dissection. **Materials:** * Dryer lint * Water * White school glue (liquid) * Small bowl * Cookie tray or drying rack * 3D printer * Autodesk 123D Design or TinkerCAD software **Procedure:** 1. Introduction to owl pellets: * Students learn about owl diet and food chains. * They are introduced to the concept of replica owl pellets made from dryer lint, water, and white school glue. 2. Designing and printing replicas: * Students design and print 3D models of bones or pieces using Autodesk 123D Design or TinkerCAD software. * The printed models are used as replicas in the owl pellet mixture. 3. Preparing owl pellets: * Students create the owl pellet mixture by dissolving glue in water, adding shredded dryer lint, and dropping replica bones/pieces into the mixture. * They shape the mixture into pellet shapes and allow it to dry for 24-60 hours. 4. Dissection and identification: * Students dissect the dried owl pellets to identify the replica bones/pieces. * They compare their findings with skeleton graphics to identify the different bones. **Assessment:** 1. Student designs are evaluated based on accuracy, complexity, and preparation for printing. 2. Student dissections are evaluated based on correct identification of bones/pieces and thoroughness in dissecting the pellet. 3. Assessment is also made of student knowledge of concepts taught within the Animal Studies unit. **References:** * Students (or teachers) will need to create the owl pellets 3-4 days prior to dissection. * The Owl Pellet Recipe provided in the document can be used as a guide for creating the replica owl pellets. **Duration:** This project could take 5 hours of classroom time and should be incorporated and interwoven with lecture and discussion within the Animal Studies or Biology curriculum.