Today, I did the kick start activity on flying squirrels. These cool creatures are rodents that glide from tree to tree in the forest. They are usually found in tropical forests across North America, Central America, Asia (from Siberia to Southeast Asia), and parts of Europe.
Flying squirrels don’t actually fly because they only have a piece of skin that helps them glide. You might not see one either because they don’t live where you live or they could be hiding in their cute, warm nests. Flying squirrels are very shy, and they are nocturnal (night living) creatures. One thing I found very interesting is the fact that flying squirrels have a big tail which helps them with their balance and steering. If it’s tail was gone, it’s flying life would be a lot harder for them!
After I learnt about flying squirrels, my mission for today was to build a model of this mammal. To do this, I found a photo of a flying squirrel and colour printed it. I cut it out, and with the help of my dad, I folded it’s wings and made it have a concept of how the flying squirrels extend/retract it’s wings. I modified it even more by turning that sheet of paper into a flying photo by adding popsicles sticks near the head. I managed to fly it for 2 seconds or so before crashing it head first into the wall. This is my homemade flying squirrel model.
Image being colour printed.
I am cutting the printout.
Wings folded to represent retraction.
Wings extended as if it was flying.
My model is flying!
The badge for this activity.
What other mammals that can glide can you name?
Kia ora Isa!
It is great to see you tackling another Summer Learning Journey activity with so much enthusiasm! Your post about flying squirrels is excellent, especially the way you combined your research with a hands-on model to test how they move.
You made a very important distinction in your writing: flying squirrels don’t actually “fly” like birds or bats; they glide.
That “piece of skin” you mentioned has a scientific name, the patagium. It is a furry, parachute-like membrane that stretches from their wrists to their ankles.
When they leap, they spread their limbs wide to pull this skin tight, creating “lift” that allows them to travel long distances through the air.
You were spot on about the tail! They use it like a rudder on a boat to change direction mid-air and balance themselves when they land.
I love that you documented the whole process of building your model, from the colour printing to the final flight.
Staying in the air for 2 seconds before “crashing” is actually quite a success for a paper model!
Adding popsicle sticks near the head was a clever move. In physics, this is called adjusting the centre of mass. By adding weight to the front, you helped the “squirrel” nose-dive forward into a glide rather than just tumbling through the air.
You mentioned that flying squirrels are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. Looking at the photo of the squirrel you used, what is one big feature on its face that helps it see in the dark?
– Zana
Kia Ora Zana,
It’s Isa here. Thank you for your comment. I liked reading what you said about my flying squirrel activity. It was fun learning how they glide and then trying to copy that with my paper model.
The big feature on its face that helps it see in the dark is its large eyes. They let in more light, which makes it easier for the squirrel to see at night when it’s gliding between trees.
From Isa