Educator Guide: AI in Bioacoustics Research and Napping Penguins

January 13, 2024

About this guide

Integrate two articles from the January 13 Science News issue to have students explore how AI was used as a research tool in a recent bioacoustics bird study and how an adaptation of the chinstrap penguins’ allows them to keep their guard up while grabbing a few z’s.

This Guide Includes:

Oodles of snoozes

Every little bit of rest counts. For a chinstrap penguin, about 10,000 brief snoozes each day can add up to more than 11 hours of rest. Learn how these animals adapted to their environment by managing to grab this much-needed shut-eye. And they do it without relaxing their guard. Then answer questions discussing the relationship between habitats, behavior and sleep patterns.

AI in bioacoustics research

Scientists recently used bioacoustics and AI to study whether certain bird species still exist in the wild. Use this lesson plan to teach students about bioacoustics and instruct them to think critically about the role of AI in the research process.