Hello Acorn Club members!
This time of year is often associated with spooky things, including bats, which don’t really deserve that image. So here are some batty facts, some of you may remember them from a bat walk you may have been on earlier in the year.
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Of the 950 species of bat around the world only 3 eat blood and they live a long way away. All the bats that live in this country eat insects.
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Bats won’t get tangled in your hair. They have a special way of ‘seeing’ called echolocation, it’s a bit like sonar. It is far more accurate than our eyesight so bats will avoid flying into objects, including hair!
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You find bats in some churchyards because of insects living in the long grass that they feed on, but more bats live in / on peoples houses than in churches.
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Bats like to live in clean spaces, not with lots of cobwebs. Their droppings are harmless and they don’t chew cables. 
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Bats hibernate from October to March. You may occasionally see them flying during this time if they are disturbed or are moving to a new site.
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Bats are protected by law in this country, it is against the law to disturb them or harm them in any way.
Why do leaves change colour in autumn?
We all enjoy the change of colours of leaves at this time of year but have you ever wondered why they change colour? 
Plants make their own food. They take water from the ground using their roots. They take a gas called carbon dioxide from the air. They turn water and carbon dioxide into food using sunlight and something called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is green, it is in the leaves and gives them the green colour.
As days get shorter it prompts plants into preparing for winter. Winter days are short and dry so many plants stop making food in autumn. The chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down revealing the orange and yellow colours. These colours have been there all summer but the green covered them up.
Some leaves turn red, this colour is made from food trapped in the leaves in autumn. Brown colours are also made in autumn from wastes left in the leaves.
Autumn – the changing seasons…
 Phenology is the study of the seasons and the timing changes that happen in nature. In Autumn we can look out for ripening berries and seeds. Several birds migrate at this time of year, many birds such as Swifts and Swallows leave Britain and head off to Africa, whilst other birds such as some geese arrive here from their breeding grounds in Scandinavia and northern areas. So we can record the last day or the first day these birds are seen in this country.
Autumn word search
Can you find 15 autumnal words hidden in the grid below?
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The History of Jack-o-lanterns
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In the past pumpkins were recommended for removing freckles and curing snakebites!
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The name ‘pumpkin’ originated from the Greek work ‘pepon’ meaning large melon.
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The carving of pumpkins began long ago in Ireland where turnips were carved for use as lanterns. When many Irish moved to America, during the potato famine, they found the American pumpkin made a better lantern.
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Long ago there was a Celtic festival called Samhain. It was celebration of the end of summer and the start of winter. On this day it was believed that the spirit world and the living world were at their closest. People made scary faces in their lanterns to keep evil spirits away. This festival has now changed to what we call Halloween.
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The name ‘Jack-o-lantern’ comes from a tale of a man named Jack who tricked the devil and ended up trapped in a lantern.
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
If you make a pumpkin lantern this autumn don’t just waste the insides – the flesh of pumpkin makes tasty soup or can be used in pie or bread recipes. Save the seeds too – they make a tasty snack when toasted. Get an adult to help you follow these instructions...
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Separate the seeds from the pumpkin fibre
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Rinse the seeds in water and pat the dry with a paper towel.
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In a small bowl, toss with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.
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Spread evenly on a baking sheet.
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Bake at 300*F for 30-40 minutes until light brown.
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Allow them to cool before eating.
Wordsearch answers: hibernate, migration, bonfire, acorn, chestnuts, leaves, berries, fungi, fireworks, conker, seed, twigs, pumpkin, halloween, bats.
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