Animals Sleep Just Like Me

Before the meeting: 

1. Become familiar with nocturnal animals and those that are diurnal (di·ur·nal). 

During the meeting: 

1. Gather the Cub Scouts and adult partners and share with them that it is important that we not only eat foods that will keep us healthy and to stay active to exercise our muscles It is also important to give our body a chance to rest and to sleep. 
2. Share with the Cub Scouts the things you learned about nocturnal animals and those that are diurnal.  
   • Owls and Opossums are nocturnal which means they sleep during the day and are active at night.  They are active during these times for two different reasons.  Owls eat mice and other small rodents as do many other birds, but most other birds sleep during the night, this means that there is less competition for owls when they are hunting.  Opossums are nocturnal so avoid predators (other animals that eat them) and it is also when most of the animals they hunt are active.   
   • Dogs and birds are diurnal which means they are like us; they are active during the day and sleep at night.  Dogs are domesticated, meaning they rely on humans for food, shelter, and protection so dogs keep the same active patterns as their owners.  Most birds are also diurnal and are active during the day and sleep at night. 
   • Ask Cub Scouts if they think cats are diurnal or nocturnal and have them explain why they think that.  Cats are actually special.  It may seem to us that all they do is sleep during the day and night and that is somewhat true.  Cats are known as crepuscular (cre·pus·cu·lar) which means they are most active when the sun is just starting to come up (dawn) and when the sun is about to go down (dusk). 
3. Have the adult partners work with their Cub Scouts to complete the activity on page 15 of the Lion handbook. 
4. When they are finished with the activity have the adult partners talk to their Cub Scouts about when they go to bed and when they wake up.  Do they feel rested with they wake up in the morning?  Are they getting enough sleep?  Lion aged Cub Scouts should get about 10 hours of sleep a night.