Science for Hawthorn Girls

In Nature Study, Mrs. Montes led the 2nd -5th grade girls in an owl pellet dissection that completed a unit of study on several species of owls that are found locally. For those who may not be familiar, an owl often consumes its prey whole, forms an oval-shaped mass in its gizzard of the indigestible parts, and then regurgitates the oval mass. The regurgitated oval mass is referred to as an owl pellet.The contents of the owl pellet consist mostly of fur and bones. Donning disposable gloves, the girls worked in pairs to pull apart the pellet with tweezers and sort the bones. Next, the girls analyzed the skulls that they found in the owl pellet to identify the animal. They found that the most frequently consumed prey was a mouse. Owls certainly help to keep rodent populations in check! Photos of this engaging class lesson may be found here.