The Scoop on Poop: A Scientific Investigation into Scat

Call it the Ewww! factor, but nothing engages kids in science more than a down and dirty hands-on project..and kids love talking and giggling about Poop! Scientists study animal poop, also called scat, to learn about the hidden lives of animals. We can find scat in the wild and know what type of animal left it based on its shape, size, and contents. Not only is scat a great identifier of which critters have been around, but it also provides a peek into their lives by telling us what they eat.   In this one-time course, students will investigate scat, through the book "What do the do with all that Poo?", we will have a class discussion on, and work cooperatively and play "Guess Poo?". Students will try to identify animals and categorize them as herbivore, omnivore, carnivore based on their droppings. We will also learn how to create your own scat at home, by drawing or with clay! 

Keywords
Scat
Omnivore
Carnivore
Herbivore
Scatologist 

Material (not necessary to have any or all, learners can participate by simply drawing scat)
Clay or playdough
Also if you have on hand..the following material will be incorporated into the fake scat to represent what you’d normally find in real scat 
Hay = hay
Grass = grass
Crushed dry pasta of varying types = animal bones
Bird seed = seeds 
Aluminum foil small pieces = insect wings
Red hots = berries
Feathers (store bought) = feathers
Cotton = fur