Dissecting owl pellets can be a great lesson option. We have been studying birds in science this year. This past week we studied the bird digestive system and I decided it was a great time to dissect owl pellets with the kids. I will share a few pics from our experience but I wanted you to have many resources available to you should you decide to do it. That is why I have put together a great list of posts about dissecting owl pellets so you can be prepared.
How to Dissect Owl Pellets
- Start by unwrapping your owl pellet.
- Before using anything to dissect it, look at the outside and hypothesize about what you might find inside of it.
- Use your tools to slowly pull away the layers.
- As you pull items out, set aside any structures that might be important to study after the dissection.
Where to get owl pellets
- Amazon – You can get a great variety of packets of pellets depending on your budget. Some even have free shipping with prime.
- Pellet – This site has a huge variety of pellets. Shipping starts at $7.50.
Some colleges and science centers will also have these for sale if you are looking for another option.
Free Printables
- Bone sorting chart from Nature Watch
- Dissection Notebook from Notebooking Fairy
- Investigation forms from Science Gal
- Lab Book from The Crafty Classroom
- Observation Sheet from Teachers Pay Teachers
Unit Studies and Owl Ideas
- Blog post from Living Well Spending Less
- Owl Pellet Faqs from Adventures with Mel & Syd
- Unit study from Kid World Citizen
