Flying Fox
Tim Griffin
Have you met my friend the flying fox who’s not a fox at all?
He’s also called a fruit bat whene’er he comes to call
Of all the flying mammals, he’s the largest in the land
He’s a megachiropteran (pteran!), a megachiropteran!
My friend is called a flying fox, and here’s the reason why:
His bones have all evolved and now he flaps his hands to fly
He’s awfully awkward on the ground, he does the best he can
He’s a megachiropteran (pteran!), a megachiropteran!
(bridge) Now there’s no need to be afraid, if fear is what you feel
For he is a soaring frugivore, a mango is his meal
So now you know the flying fox and when you hang around
Simply wrap your toes around a tree and dangle upside down
Put a mango in your mouth and say as loudly as you can:
I’m a megachiropteran (pteran!), a megachiropteran!
A flying fox, a fruit bat, a megachiropteran!
Notes
One great way to get young minds to start asking deeper questions about zoology is to introduce animals that do not quite fit into existing paradigms. A mammal that flies? What's up with that? Plus, bats are just super cool.
Suggested reading: One of my favorite books for young kids is Stellaluna by Janell Cannon. It's a lovely story with beautiful art; and sure, there's a lot of anthropomorphization going on but it's done in a way that ties right back into key science ideas about habitat, adaptation, etc.
Here are some academic standards addressed by this song:
Kindergarten
NGSS K-LS1.1. Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive. (Comment: Some bats eat bugs, others eat fruit.)
Crosscutting Concept for grades K-2: Structure and Function. The shape and stability of structures of natural and designed objects are related to their function(s).